The Liberal Democrats’ £35 billion pledge to protect the NHS

We need to protect our NHS. Under the Conservative government, it’s struggling to cope with severe staff shortages, chronic under-funding and crumbling hospital buildings.

All of these problems would be made much worse by a Tory or Labour Brexit that would end free movement and make it harder to attract nurses and doctors from the EU.

The Lib Dems will tackle the NHS staffing crisis and invest in mental health services, social care, public health and more.

That’s why we’ve set out our plan to safeguard the NHS; stop Brexit and invest an extra £35 billion in the health service and social care over the next five years.

The Liberal Democrats would raise £7 billion a year in additional revenue, ring-fenced for the NHS and social care services, by adding a penny on income tax.

On top of this, we will use a £10 billion capital fund to upgrade equipment, ambulances, hospitals and other NHS buildings to bring them into the 21st century.

A Liberal Democrat government will tackle the severe staffing shortages across the NHS and end the current shortfall of GPs within five years. This will be done by retaining free movement including for the 65,000 EU citizens working in the NHS, reinstating nursing bursaries and establishing a national workforce strategy to match training places to future needs.

We are the only party with a credible plan to protect the NHS and build a brighter future by tackling the staffing crisis, investing in mental health services, social care, public health and future-proofing our NHS buildings.

Learn more about our Plan for the Future here.