Healthcare Policies Published in Party Manifestos
We’ve collated mentions of health policies, from each party manifesto. Please note, health is devolved, which means any health policy pledges would apply only to England, but funding from the UK Government has in impact on how services are funded in the Devolved Nations.
Conservative
Conservative manifesto health policies
Many of the Conservative promises on health and social care relate to existing policies and targets including
- Increasing the number of doctors and nurses by 120,000.
- Introducing a cap on care costs next year.
- A new policy promises to tie new dentists into working for the NHS for a number of years after qualifying.
Other policies include
- The abolition of National Insurance (NI) for the self-employed.
- A commitment to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence spending.
- The Conservatives say they would pay for £17bn of tax cuts by 2030, by making savings elsewhere, including saving £12bn by reforming welfare payments, and cutting the civil service.
Conservative-Manifesto-GE2024.pdf (conservatives.com)
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
DUP manifesto health policies
Drive waiting lists down - fostering large-scale partnerships between health and social care in NI and national independent providers or not-for-profit organisations.
Provide fellowships for young GPs in substantive posts.
Commission a practitioner health scheme.
Provide a permanent state-backed scheme for indemnity for GPs.
Other policies include
- Promoting the union and removing barriers within the United Kingdom.
- Campaigning to protect family incomes.
- Civil Service reform.
2024-Manifesto-Final.pdf
Green Party
Green manifesto health policies include
- A year-on-year reduction in waiting lists.
- Guaranteed access to an NHS dentist.
- Guaranteed rapid access to a GP and same day access in case of urgent need.
- Investing in GPs and public health to support prevention, early diagnosis and improving quality of life, while also reducing the burden on the NHS.
- Increasing the allocation of funding to primary medical care, with additional annual spending reaching £1.5bn by 2030.
- Restoring public health budgets to 2015/16 levels with an immediate annual increase of £1.5bn.
- A National Commission to agree an evidenced-based approach to reform of the UK’s counter-productive drugs laws.
Other policies include
- A Wealth Tax of 1% annually on assets above £10 million and of 2% on assets above £1bn.
- Increase Universal Credit and legacy benefits by £40 a week.
- A pledge to provide 150,000 new social homes every year.
2024 Manifesto: Downloads - Green Party
Labour
Labour manifesto health policies
- Create an extra 40,000 NHS appointments and operations a year, supported by more weekend services and making use of the private sector.
- Focus on changing the NHS from a sickness service to also be able to prevent ill health.
- Aim of developing a National Care Service, for social care, based on the principle “home first” care, to help people live independently.
Other polices include:
- Adding 20% VAT to private school fees, to pay for 6,500 extra teachers in England’s state schools.
- Raise over £8bn in revenue by changing non-dom tax status for wealthy people, tackling tax avoidance, and introducing a windfall tax on big energy.
- Promise to build 1.5m new homes in England during the next five years.
- Immediately scrap the Rwanda scheme and divert £75m from it to a new Border and Security Command.
Labour-Party-manifesto-2024.pdf
Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrat manifesto health policies
- Freeing up GPs’ time by giving more prescribing rights and public health advisory services to qualified pharmacists, nurse practitioners and paramedics.
- Introduce free personal care in England, to support people needing help with daily tasks, which is currently means-tested in England, with only the poorest receiving help.
- A promise of 8,000 more GPs in England.
Other policies include
- An increase in public spending (UK wide)
- An ambition to reach net zero by 2045..
- Recognise non-binary identities in law and ban conversion therapy.
- Seek to rejoin the Single Market.
https://www.libdems.org.uk/manifesto
Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru manifesto health policies
- Health is devolved which means that whoever wins the UK election will not be responsible for the NHS in Wales, but funding from the UK government has an impact on decisions made in Wales.
- Plaid Cymru pledge to recruit 500 extra GPs to address pressures in Wales.
Other policies include
- Increasing child benefit by £20 to tackle child poverty in Wales.
- A promise to consult on a path towards independence.
- Achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.
- A commitment to re-join the single market.
Plaid_Cymru_Maniffesto_2024_ENGLISH.pdf (nationbuilder.com)
Reform
Reform manifesto health policies
Reform have published a contract, described as a working draft, that will be finalised later this year. Promises include
- All frontline NHS and social care staff to pay zero basic rate tax for 3 years to encourage retention.
- Cut waiting lists by using UK & overseas providers.
- Tax Relief of 20% on all Private Healthcare and Insurance, to incentivise people who can afford to pay more.
Other policies include
- Reject the influence of the World Economic Forum.
- Cancel membership of the World Health Organisation unless there is fundamental reform to its structure and funding.
- Replace the 2010 Equalities Act.
- Propose a Comprehensive Free Speech Bill.
https://www.reformparty.uk/our-contract-contents
Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party manifesto health policies
- Protect the NHS from privatisation through a ‘Keep the NHS in Public Hands’ Bill.
- Boost NHS spending by a minimum of £10bn extra each year to address inflationary pressures and improve performance. The SNP suggest that investment into NHS England would generate an additional £1bn annually for NHS Scotland to help meet increasing demand.
- Match Scotland’s NHS pay deals by increasing investment in NHS England staff pay and conditions of at least £6bn, to deliver around £600m for Scotland to invest in pay deals for NHS staff.
- Call for the reversal of recent plans to stop care workers from overseas bringing their families with them to work in the UK.
Other policies include
- Deliver Scottish independence.
- Rejoin the EU, reverse Brexit and re-enter the single market restoring free movement for EU citizens.
- Tackle the cost of living crisis by providing urgent support for household finances and reducing the impact of rising interest rates and inflation.
- Reverse the £1.3bn Westminster cut to the Scottish Government capital budget, to invest in new hospitals, schools, rail and road infrastructure and help to achieve net zero.
SNP 2024 Manifesto: A Future Made in Scotland — Scottish National Party
Sinn-Fein
Sinn-Fein manifesto health policies
• An opportunity to create an efficient all-Ireland national health service.
• Women to be able to access the safe and legal health services they are entitled to.
Other policies include
• Continue to lead positive change on the island of Ireland at every level including MPs, MLA, TDs, Seanadóirí, MEPs and councillors the length and breadth of Ireland.
• Continue direct discussion with the British Treasury to end the underfunding of the Executive.
• Support fair pay for public sector workers.
Westminster Election - Sinn Féin (sinnfein.ie)
The General Election will take place on 4 July 2024.
Register to vote by 11:59pm on Tuesday 18 June 2024
Register to vote - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)