The election on 6 May is going to be one of the closest in history, and judging by the recent polls, there is still everything to play for. The Tories are nervous; Labour realises a hung parliament is perhaps their best chance for holding onto power; and the Lib Dems, and Nick Clegg in particular, could finally have their moment in the sun. But what do each party say about health and what does this mean for the future of health policy?
According to a recent poll, healthcare is the second most important issue to the public when voting in an election, just behind the economy. This means that as well as being bombarded with plans for reducing the deficit, we can expect to see healthcare pledges feature prominently over the next three weeks.
With all three parties predicting a dire state for the public finances over the next five years, any future plans for the health service will be constrained. Unfortunately for all concerned, continuing to promise record levels of spending is no longer an option. However, the policies still differ significantly, which you can read all about in the general election health bulletin, courtesy of Virgo in conjunction with our Public Affairs partner agency Open Road.
Tags: Conservatives, David Cameron, Election, Gordon Brown, Hung parliament, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Manifesto, Nick Clegg