Lib Dems pledge fairer NHS bills

The Lib Dems would review prescription charges

Dental checks and eye tests should be free for everyone, Sir Menzies Campbell has said as he highlighted the Liberal Democrats' health plans.

The party also pledged a review to make prescription charges fairer and free personal care for elderly people.

Labour says free personal care is unaffordable while the Tories say they would offer an alternative scheme.

Charles Kennedy will launch his party's manifesto on Thursday after taking a short break following his son's birth.

Prevention message

He did not attend Wednesday's Lib Dem news conference - he is instead spending some time with his wife Sarah and baby Donald who was born early on Tuesday.

Liberal Democrats believe the principles of the National Health Service are as relevant today as they were when it was first founded Sir Menzies Campbell

Mr Kennedy said they were "exceptionally happy" as the family left hospital later on Tuesday.

Deputy leader Sir Menzies is in charge during his absence.

He argued that charges for health tests discouraged people from preventing illness.

He said: "Liberal Democrats believe the principles of the National Health Service are as relevant today as they were when it was first founded.

"A universal service, a common good funded through general taxation; delivering health care to all citizens; based on need, not on what a person can afford; and free at the point of delivery.

"It's time to reinvigorate the founding principles of fairness in the NHS."

Care budgets

Labour says it has recruited more NHS dentists and is committed to giving patients more choice over their health care.

It says offering free personal care is unsustainable but wants to give people with long-term illnesses power to control how their care budgets are spent.

The Conservatives say they would offer free long-term residential care for people who had paid care bills for three years, either directly or via a state sponsored insurance scheme.

They have also unveiled plans to provide more NHS dentists.