SOUTH West Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt has thanked staff at the Royal Surrey County Hospital after breaking his arm in a running accident.

The former health secretary posted on social media after he slipped and fell near his home in Hambledon on Thursday morning: "The perils of running on an icy road in February.

"Thanks to Charlotte and the brilliant Royal Surrey staff for looking after me so well!"

Also sharing an image from the hospital revealing his arm in a plaster cast, he added: "Happy Hunt children will now get busy drawing pictures..."

Along with many messages wishing him a speedy recovery, Mr Hunt’s post did attract a few derisory comments too.

One Facebook user posted in response: "As if our NHS hasn’t enough to do without selfish people like you having to go for a run in the snow/ice. Could you have not waited a day or two until it had melted?

The message is ‘stay safe’."

The MP also had his arm in a sling, as he took part in a Parliamentary debate via video link, praising new proposals to restructure the NHS to better link GPs, hospitals and social care.

But Mr Hunt, who is also chairman of the House of Commons’ health and social care select committee, did raise a concern that the new integrated care systems would be very powerful, and asked how they will be held accountable.

His successor as health secretary, Matt Hancock, said accountability was "absolutely central" to the Government’s plans.

Mr Hancock added there would be accountability "up from the ICS, through NHS England, to ministers and therefore to Parliament. And from Parliament, through our democratic processes, to taxpayers".