All hospitals in England will provide "a truly seven-day NHS" by 2020 under a future Conservative government, David Cameron has said.
At the party's spring forum, Mr Cameron said that more hospitals must provide top-level treatment at the weekend, starting with emergency care.
In a wide-ranging speech, he said his party's message to various sections of the population was: "We're with you."
Labour said Tory plans for "extreme" spending cuts threatened the NHS.
It has put the health service at the forefront of its own election campaign, with leader Ed Miliband promising on Friday to cap the amount of profit private firms can make from the NHS in England.
'Seven-day NHS'
Speaking at the forum in Manchester, Mr Cameron warned that figures show patients are "more likely to die" if they are admitted at weekends.
According to the Conservatives, official studies suggest mortality rates for those admitted on Saturdays and Sundays are 11% and 16% higher respectively than for those admitted on Wednesdays.
This is at best an empty pledge and at worst shameless political game-playing
While Mr Cameron is praising hospitals already providing top-level weekend services, he says coverage is often patchy, with some key resources "not up and running and key decision-makers not always there".
Hospitals across England, he says, should be expected to offer consultant-level services at the weekend, particularly in accident and emergency, and in supporting urgent care services such as diagnostics.
Mr Cameron said: "Illness does not respect working hours. Heart attacks, major accidents, babies - these things don't just come from nine to five.
"With a future Conservative government, we would have a truly seven-day NHS.
"Already millions of people can see a GP seven days a week but by 2020 I want this for everyone... [to be] the first country in the world to make this happen."
This, he says, will reduce the anxiety for patients and help the NHS to meet the growing demand from an ageing population.
During his speech, Mr Cameron also reiterated a number of pledges ahead of the general election, including:
- No tax on the first £12,500 of earnings
- No 40p rate until earnings reach £50,000
- The creation of 500 new free schools
- The building of 200,000 starter homes
- Three million apprenticeships being made available
- A referendum on whether or not to remain in the European Union
Analysis
By Ben Wright, BBC political correspondent
On the eve of the campaign proper, David Cameron has come to a city with no Conservative MPs to talk about a subject Labour claims as its own.
An odd choice? Tory strategists insist not.
Not far from here, the Conservatives hold marginal seats such as Bury North. Mr Cameron's hopes of returning to Downing Street hinge on keeping those and winning others.
This spring forum is about fighting back against Labour on the NHS.
Polls show a clear, large consistent lead for Ed Miliband's party on the NHS. It is the foundation stone of Labour's campaign.
But the Conservatives are desperate to chip away at it with promises of protected real terms increases in funding and an extra £2bn a year.
The Conservatives are committing to providing full weekend hospital care in England - in line with the NHS's own five-year plan.
The big question of course is 'where will the money come from?', but this is about politics.
This is an attempt to try to neutralise the NHS and enable the Conservatives to return to what they want to be talking about - the economy.
'Increasing financial distress'
Andy Burnham, Labour's shadow health secretary, said the plans were not credible without investment in extra NHS staff.
"With the NHS in increasing financial distress, David Cameron must set out clearly how it will be paid for," he said.
"His extreme plans for spending cuts will mean they won't be able to protect the NHS."
Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS England's medical director, has said the case for seven-day healthcare is "absolutely compelling, both clinically and morally".
But Dr Mark Porter, chairman of the British Medical Association, said that the Conservatives' funding commitment was not even enough to maintain existing services, and that a funding gap of up to £30bn a year was scheduled to open up under current spending plans.
"The £2bn extra funding that has been pledged falls far short of what is needed to deliver existing services, let alone fund additional care," he said. "
"Without a detailed, fully-costed plan to provide the staff and resources needed to deliver more seven-day services, this is at best an empty pledge and at worst shameless political game-playing with the NHS ahead of the election."
'Efficiency changes'
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said government reforms of the NHS were saving £1.5bn a year but that the NHS "will need more money".
He added: "The NHS themselves have done the sums and they say if we don't change the way we work, we will need an extra £30bn a year by 2020.
"They say that sum can be reduced with efficiency changes, and we're backing that plan."
New clinical standards set out in 2013 require hospitals to provide seven-day access to diagnostic tests, such as X-rays, ultrasound, MRI scans and pathology, as well as providing access to multi-disciplinary teams, which include expert nurses and physiotherapists.
In its blueprint for services over the next five years, published last October, NHS England said hospital patients should have access to seven-day services by 2020 - "where this makes a clinical difference to outcomes".
At the same time, NHS England warned the health service could face an £8bn shortfall in funding by 2020.
The Conservatives have pledged to guarantee a real-term increase in funding for the NHS during the next Parliament, extending the ring-fence in place for the past five years.
Labour has said it will spend £2.5bn more than its opponents.
What has your experience been of using NHS hospitals in England at weekends? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experience. Please include a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist.
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