We’ve just spoken to Wes Streeting, the health secretary, and started by asking about his plans to name and shame underperforming NHS trusts and sack managers who fail to turn things around.

Explaining that these reforms will be carried out alongside the fiscal investments announced in the budget, he said: “I have been surprised to see that many people since the budget have welcomed the investment but are concerned that the money will be well spent.

“And today we are introducing a whole package of reform measures relating to leadership in the NHS.”

He said he wanted to give “more freedom” to “high-performing leaders” because they were “arguably in a better position to make decisions than politicians or national leaders.”

“We will also eliminate poor performance where people are consistently falling short and are not up to it,” he said.

“And I think that’s what the public rightfully expects.”

Mr Streeting also said the government would send specialist leaders to underperforming hospitals to turn things around, adding: “I make no apologies for wanting to deal with the worst of it, as we do in any other workplace.”

Its goal is to “make better use of taxpayers’ money.”