Mental health and substance misuse take centre stage in Liberal Democrats' health proposals

Posted by Caroline Maxwell at Wed, 14/04/2010 - 2:58pm in Health Mandate commentary, Political commentary

Given its importance to the electorate, the NHS was notable in the Lib Dem manifesto launch for its marginality. Relegated from the front page - only fair taxes, fair chances (for children), a fair future (by creating jobs) and a fair deal (on politics) made it here. The NHS occupied instead only a handful of pages in the chapter entitled ‘your life'.

Commitments to either increase NHS spending in real terms (Conservative) or protect front-line NHS spending (Labour) did not make it into the Lib Dem manifesto - which instead relies on the familiar political refrain of being able to avoid ‘cuts' by cutting ‘waste'. Such pledges are always slightly dubious - but the Lib Dems at least spell out the ways in which they are minded to do it: cutting the Department of Health ‘in half', scrapping Strategic Health Authorities and reducing hospital length of stay (or ‘extending best practice on improving hospital discharge', as the manifesto rather clumsily puts it). Of course, writing such proposals into a manifesto is always far easier than having to implement them in practice.

Beyond pledges to ‘cut waste', the Lib Dems' notable and welcome focus on mental health and substance misuse services gets a rather expected - but ultimately deserved - place in their manifesto. There are pledges to prioritise dementia research, to improve access to counselling, and to reduce ill-health caused by excessive drinking - all included in the health section. (Think back to the Conservatives' manifesto yesterday, and alcohol got four mentions - but all in their criminal justice chapter.)

There is also a rather incongruous promise in the health section of the Lib Dems' manifesto, "to save lives and reduce pressure on NHS budgets by cutting air pollution", by cancelling the third runway at Heathrow. It is also a promise contained in the ‘communities' section of the manifesto, presumably indicating that the Lib Dems believe it is a promise so good they have to make it twice.

The Lib Dems' pledges on health are a rather curious mix of policies ranging from the truly progressive to the savagely efficient - perhaps indicating that the row between the Orange Bookers and the left-wing liberals still continues to rage beneath the surface unity. But most importantly the fact that the manifesto launch - being such a double-act led by Clegg and Cable - did not find a place for Lib Dem health spokesperson Norman Lamb probably signals what is an open secret: that, if the Lib Dems hold the balance of power in a hung Parliament, health is not going to be the issue on which they really dig in for a big battle.

Tagged with: Liberal Democrats, NHS