The chancellor is this week finalising his budget which is expected to deliver the first "visible" tax increases since Labour came to office.

Gordon Brown is expected to announce tax increases to fund the government's NHS reform programme when he goes to parliament next week.

Forum Response: Royal College of NursingDr Beverly Malone, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, told ePolitix.com: "The RCN is committed to the founding principles of the NHS as a service available to all, free at the point of use based on need, not ability to pay.

"Staff are the NHS's most important resource. They are key to delivering existing services in hospitals and communities across the UK, and to implementing new, innovative, responsive and cost-effective approaches to delivering care.

"The recruitment and retention of staff - and in particular nursing staff - are the two biggest issues facing the NHS. We welcome the chancellor's commitment to reforming and improving the NHS.

"However, the RCN is urging the chancellor to commit £3 billion over the next five years to fund "Agenda for Change", the programme to modernise pay and career structures across the NHS. Rewarding nursing staff with a modernised pay and career structure is vital to the long-term future of the NHS.

"Nurses have already made a substantial contribution to the NHS modernisation; expanding their work through nurse prescribing and developing nursing-led services e.g. asthma clinics, taking on new roles such as the modern matron and participating in hospital and community-led services such as NHS Direct and Walk-in clinics.

"Without a full and healthy workforce, the NHS will not be able to continue its essential programme of modernisation and better service delivery."