麻豆社

Labour has promised, if elected, to increase pay for NHS staff and to restore bursaries for nurses in training.

Applications for nursing jobs have been down a quarter since the government said they would no longer give nurses bursaries.

But Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt defended the policy change. He said that as a result they will "be able to train a record number of nurses".

The Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Paul Johnson, says even small increases in NHS salaries add up to big spending commitments while Labour Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth defended the proposal.

Spokesperson for Liberal Democrats Norman Lamb criticised the promise saying, "their proposal just isn't credible".

(Image: Hospital staff. Credit: PA)