Lib Dems vow to axe NHS quangos

The Lib Dems say the NHS cannot be immune from the economy drive

Slashing spending on NHS quangos and capping the pay of health service managers could save £500m a year, the Lib Dems have argued.

Outlining savings in the health budget, spokesman Norman Lamb said he would "wield the axe" on quangos but protect front-line clinical services.

He told the party's conference the NHS had become a "bureaucratic monster"

The Lib Dems plan to recruit an extra 3,000 midwives while giving ward sisters power to set their own budgets.

Unlike the Conservatives, who have said they would ring-fence health from any budget cuts, the Lib Dems say the NHS cannot be immune from the drive to make substantial savings across government and the public sector.

The Liberal Democrat message is to get rid of nanny and put sister in charge

Norman Lamb MP

However, the party says its focus is on cutting bureaucracy and simplifying structures within the NHS, thus freeing up money to invest in frontline staff.

'Get rid of nanny'

Its proposals would see strategic health authorities scrapped and the Department of Health downsized.

The annual budget for health quangos - which it say now tops £1.2bn - will be cut by 20%, with no quango boss being paid more than the prime minister.

It also says savings can be made in the way that hospitals are paid for operations.

The party pledges to tackle a "shortfall" in midwives and health visitors to guarantee any woman can give birth where she chooses while giving sisters in hospitals responsibility for staff budgets, ward cleanliness and patients' food.

"Rather than dictating to experienced NHS staff about how to improve our hospitals, we should listen to what they have to say," Mr Lamb said.

"The Liberal Democrat message is to get rid of nanny and put sister in charge."