Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley has pledged to extend the NHS tariff to include end of life care if the Conservatives win the next election.

Speaking at a Policy Exchange debate in London this week, Mr Lansley said extending the tariff would create a “much fairer overall system” for end of life care providers and help to “end the discrimination” against those that are charity funded.

“End of life care should be commissioned and funded in ways that directly correspond to other NHS services,” he said.

The Conservative Party draft health manifesto, published last week, outlined plans to introduce a “payment by results” system across the whole of the NHS.

The shadow health secretary said: “As part of mainstream end of life care we are going to have to be sure that the commissioners of services are accountable not only for the results they achieve, but for the quality of service they provide.”

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