Jeremy Hunt: NHS 'not honest about failure'

The Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has intervened in the case of a former hospital chief executive who broke a so-called "gagging order" to voice concerns about patient safety.

Lawyers for the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust have sent a warning letter to Gary Walker.

Speaking on Radio 4's The World at One programme, Mr Hunt told presenter Norman Smith that people should be free to speak out in the NHS.

"There is a need for a culture change in the NHS... too much of the system is concerned with institutional self preservation instead of actually getting to the bottom of whether there are patient safety issues," he explained.