Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to figures published today in the GP Patient Survey showing that over 14 million people now wait a week or more for a GP appointment or can’t get one at all, said:

“These figures are clear proof of how the NHS is sliding backwards under David Cameron. Patients can see that his repeated promises on improving access to GP services are pure spin.

"The Tories have made it much harder for people to see a GP, leaving people waiting days and sometimes weeks. There has been a collapse in morale amongst staff and our over-burdened GP services are now in real crisis.

"David Cameron made a huge mistake when he cut the primary care budget and scrapped the right to a GP appointment in 48 hours. The result is that over 26 per cent of the population, equivalent to 14 million people, now wait a week or more for a GP appointment or can’t get one at all – up by over a million in the last year.

"Rather than repeating empty promises on GP access, David Cameron should be taking urgent action to ensure people can get GP appointments when they need one.”