article_snippet.sent: ’ Labour will warn that new official figures show 600 fewer GP surgeries across England are now open in the evening and weekends compared to the last election.
article_snippet.sent: the last election will also claim nearly two million more patients are unhappy with doctors opening hours compared to three years ago as nearly two million more patients lose access to appointments outside of office hours.
article_snippet.sent: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt also said that the government had already begun tackling the issue by making extra funding available, which will mean the number of GP surgeries opening longer will have increased when the next set of figures are published.
article_snippet.sent: David Cameron repeated the pledge at last week’s televised leaders debate, claiming David Cameron wanted GPs to open ‘all the way through the week’.
article_snippet.sent: But official figures show the proportion of GP practices offering extended hours has fallen from 77 per cent in 2009 to 72 per cent in the latest figures for 2013/14.
article_snippet.sent: Labour said this means 590 fewer GP surgeries are now open at evenings and weekends compared to Labour last year in office.
article_snippet.sent: NHS England’s annual GP-Patient survey of 900,000 patients also shows growing unhappiness with GP surgery opening hours between 2012 and the latest figures for 2015, according to the party.
article_snippet.sent: NHS England’s annual GP-Patient survey of 900,000 patients says there has been an increase of 1.9 million in the number of people saying their surgery is not open at convenient times from 8,393,162 to 10,261,435.
article_snippet.sent: Mr Hunt last night said that when the 2014/15 figures for GPs opening at evening and weekends are published the 2014/15 figures for GPs opening at evening and weekends will show that the number has actually increased since 2010 because of new initiatives.
article_snippet.sent: The Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund already covers 1,100 practices and helps 7.5 million patients see a GP in the evenings and at weekends.
article_snippet.sent: We are extending this scheme to cover over 1,400 additional practices, helping 10 million extra people by this time next year.
highlights_snippet.sent: 600 fewer GPs  open in the evenings and at weekends, Labour has claimed .
  