Andrew Lansley has responded to a “no confidence” vote from the Royal College of Nursing Congress by claiming the college had supported his reforms.

The health secretary told Sky News: “The Royal College of Nursing were very clear that they support the principles of the reforms. They actually have demonstrated in the way in which they have accepted a pay freeze for staff that they accept there are serious financial challenges for the NHS.

“What we have made clear is that is we take the bill through parliament there is an opportunity to pause, to listen, to reflect to improve the bill.”

Mr Lansley was criticised after he initially declined to speak at the Congress in Liverpool, but will now meet a delegation of 50 nurses in a “listening seminar” this afternoon.

He said he was appearing “not to lecture, not to tell them what they should think, rather to listen”.

Mr Lansley went on to claim that RCN chief executive and general secretary Peter Carter had supported the coalition’s NHS reforms. He said: “Their general secretary told me he supports the bill, they want improvements.”

When the comments were reported to Congress, Mr Carter refuted the claim. He said: “No, what congress did this morning [the vote of no confidence] was the right thing.”

Chair of the RCN congress Rod Thomson also responded saying: “That’s an interesting form of listening from the secretary of state for health. I’m sure if he is not listening there will be other members of the government who are listening, including his boss because your message this morning was clear and unqualified.”