Healthcare has got worse under Labour and the Conservatives cannot be trusted with the NHS, the Liberal Democrats have claimed.

The party announced NHS spending plans worth £1.6 billion more than Labour's plans at the launch of its health mini-manifesto on Thursday.

The Lib Dem plans will attempt build on voter dissatisfaction with the government's record on health. New measures will be funded by a 50 pence top rate of income tax for earners over £100,000.

Party leader Charles Kennedy said he would cut waiting times by recruiting an extra 27,500 nurses, 4,600 doctors and 10,250 other health professionals.

He said it was possible to retain more staff through increasing pay for the worst-paid NHS professional staff by an average of £1,000 each per year.

Kennedy also said the party would provide an additional 10,000 beds, abolish charges for dental and eye checks and end elderly and long-term patients having to pay for long-term personal care costs

Speaking at the launch at South Bank University, Charles Kennedy accused Labour of starving the NHS of funds.

"Because Tony Blair chose to stick to Conservative spending plans for his first three years in government, many of the problems created by the Tories have continued, or even got worse, under Labour," he said.

He attacked the Tories saying: "The Tories still can't be trusted to look after the NHS because they don't support the NHS. During 18 years in office they ran our hospitals into the ground and now their solution is to encourage greater privatisation."

Kennedy added: "There are no magic wands to cure the problems in the health service. But greater investment is the best place to start. We are determined to provide our hospitals with a real chance for a real change."