Former NHS England Chief Executive backs Lib Dem health plans

The former chief executive of the NHS in England, David Nicholson, has backed Liberal Democrat plans to put a penny on income tax to rescue the health and care service.

He has been joined by 25 other leading health experts, including the ex-heads of the Royal College of Nursing, Royal College of GPs and Royal College of Psychiatrist, who have all backed the Lib Dem approach in a letter to The Observer:

The human cost of this crisis is already painfully clear. Waiting times are rising, there is particularly poor access for people with mental ill health and operations are being cancelled.

For these reasons, we strongly welcome the Liberal Democrats’ commitment to raise income tax by 1p, to generate additional, ringfenced revenue for NHS and social care.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb adds:

It is fantastic to have this support from those who have worked in all levels of our health service and understand the pressure it is now under. Bluntly, we can’t carry on like this. Only the Lib Dems have a clear and credible plan for how we raise the money and get it into the NHS and the care system.

UPDATE: This policy has been continued under Vince Cable’s leadership.