Patients should be able to speak to their GPs on Skype , Nick Clegg announced today . The Lib Dem leader wants existing phone appointments extended so doctors can see patients on video calls . Some patients would be uncomfortable with the the prospect of exposing their ailments to their GP over the web . Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg wants existing phone appointments extended so doctors can see patients on video calls . Mr Clegg today met patients and staff at Bodmin Community Hospital in Cornwall as he campaigned in the Lib Dem stronghold in the South West . But officials stressed that people would not be forced use the service and insisted it would only be for minor ailments or progress checks . They said it could be used for update appointments , brief progress checks or for when patients needed 'reassurance ' . They pointed out many GPs surgeries already use phone appointments which video call services like Skype or FaceTime would improve . The Lib Dems also want repeat prescriptions and booking appointments to be made available online . The Liberal Democrat leader committed to using £250million from the sale of NHS assets deemed to be redundant to fund the use of technology in a drive to create a 'paperless health service ' in England . The money would come from the sale of assets including land and buildings such as former accommodation blocks . The Lib Dems said their plans would mean the ability to pay for five million more operations than the Conservatives , and allow them to hire 150,000 more nurses and 38,000 more GPs than Labour . Mr Clegg said : 'The NHS does n't need warm words , it needs hard cash . And we know exactly how much because the boss of NHS England has told us - an extra GBP8 billion-a-year by 2020 . 'The Liberal Democrats are the only party that has committed to finding that money and the only one that has set out how it will pay for it . 'But we also need to help the NHS adapt so it is fit for the challenges of the 21st century . 'That 's why we have a plan to introduce modern technology that will help patients , with more doctors ' appointments and repeat prescriptions at the touch of a button . ' Mr Clegg , who was visiting Bodmin Community Hospital as part of his election tour , said : 'Both Ed Miliband and David Cameron have ignored the experts on this . Only the Liberal Democrats have listened . ' The party claims that they would spend £17 billion more than the Tories and £7 billion more than Labour on the NHS . The Lib Dems said their plans would mean the ability to pay for five million more operations than the Conservatives , and allow them to hire 150,000 more nurses and 38,000 more GPs than Labour .
Phone appointments replaced by doctors seeing patients on video calls . Repeat prescriptions and booking appointments could also go online . £250million from sale of NHS assets to create a 'paperless health service '