Labour: GP shake-up will not help millions of patients

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham disputes whether government plans to improve access to GPs will research the number of people claimed.

He said: "People know from their own experience that it has got much harder to get a GP appointment under David Cameron.

"He has left people ringing surgeries early in the morning only to be told there is nothing is available for days. This is because, within weeks of taking office, he removed Labour's guarantee of an appointment within 48 hours.

"David Cameron also cut the money for later opening hours and now hundreds of surgeries are closing earlier."

"The big problem with this new plan is that it won't benefit millions of people. For the vast majority who are outside of this scheme, things will carry on getting worse and they are being told to expect to wait a week for a GP appointment," he added.