There was an awkward moment when Sky News political reporter Darren McCaffrey asked a senior clinical advisor to Jeremy Hunt where the Health Secretary was.
McCaffrey explains on a Sky News blog:
Having spent all day trying to get an interview with Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, I felt it was fair enough to ask his advisor where he was.
He had declined all interview requests, despite calls for him to answer questions from doctors and patients.
Instead, the UK broadcast media was offered a senior official from the NHS England by the Department of Health to do one interview for all of us.
Here is the interview transcript:
McCaffrey: "Where is Jeremy Hunt tonight?"
Advisor Norman Williams: "He's in the Department of Health at his desk, working hard."
McCaffrey: "Do you feel its good that doctors on the eve of a national strike and indeed the people who use the NHS aren't able to hear from him?"
Off screen voice (an aide): "Hang on a second we're not doing all this nonsense."
McAffrey: "Well we're recording all this so there you go."
Off screen voice: "We agreed the questions."
McAffrey: "I didn't agree any questions with anyone, but anyway there we go."
Watch the video
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