Lib Dems call for NHS care tax to tackle funding crisis

Lib Dem health spokesperson Norman Lamb has announced plans to set up a ‘New Beveridge Group’ of health experts to consider the case for a dedicated tax.

Lamb warned that there had been a ‘conspiracy of silence’ over the scale of the funding crisis with parties too ‘scared’ to talk about the new taxes.

The new tax, which could amount to around a penny in every pound earned, would be marked out on people's payslips as going towards the NHS and social care. The money generated from the tax would prevent other devices having their budgets cut.

Lamb explained: "Paying for all of this out of the general tax pot results in real distortion of other priorities. Simply protecting health spending during tough economic times means that other vital services like education take a disproportionate hit."

“My belief is that if people could see that their money was going directly to the NHS and, critically, social care, then they would be prepared to pay a bit more if it was clear that it was needed. Everyone knows the NHS needs more money and people are scared, political parties are scared, very nervous, about saying anything about tax.

"Political parties see it as not in their interests to be completely honest about the scale of the problem, and so nothing is said."

He added: "There's complete dishonesty with the public about this, and yet all the professionals know how dire the situation is.

"I was with some people yesterday who were talking about a hospital in London which they said was dangerous. This was the mother of someone who is a junior doctor in a hospital in London, who felt the hospital was dangerous because of staffing levels.

"You can't carry on like that. You've got to be more honest with people. The panel will report its recommendations in six months' time.”