NHS strike: Hunt defends pay offer as workers walk out

Nurses, midwives and ambulance staff across England have been on strike over pay this morning.

Patient services were disrupted, but emergency care was kept running, after an agreement between union leaders and management.

Military personnel and police were on stand-by to help ambulance services.

Some ambulance services did develop backlogs but bosses said life-threatening cases were put as a priority.

Trade unions want a 1% pay rise for all NHS staff, but the government says the plan would cost too much.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt defended the pay offer that had been made to workers.

He said some already get annual rises, and any additional rise could lead to job losses.