Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has called for ‘a seamless service' between health and care and set out three key challenges for both sectors as the NHS celebrates its 65th anniversary.

Speaking at the end of the LGA conference in Manchester Mr Hunt called for ‘a seamless provision of services so people don't know whether they are served by the local authority or the NHS.'

Admitting that his local authority audience ‘look at the NHS protected budget with great envy' he maintained the health service nonetheless had to find efficiency savings ‘as well.'

He said health services across the world all faced the same challenges of ‘constrained public finances and an ageing population.'

The health secretary said there were ‘three pillars on which to build a radical transformation of out of hospital care.'

He described the first as improving home care so that ‘people do not fall between the cracks'.