article_snippet: Millions of patients are struggling to see Millions of patients GP as surgeries are not open at a convenient time.
article_snippet: Nearly one in five said they cannot easily make the appointments offered – despite promises that family doctors would extend family doctors hours to evenings and weekends.
article_snippet: The number of patients who are 'fairly or very dissatisfied' with the opening hours at they surgery has risen by two million, or some 43 per cent, in the past three years alone, jumping from 3.7million in 2012 to 5.3million, the latest GP Patient Survey found.
article_snippet: The number of patients who are 'fairly or very dissatisfied' with the opening hours at their surgery the opening hours at their surgery has risen by two million in the past three years alone, jumping from 3.7million in 2012 to 5.3million (file picture, posed)
article_snippet: And a quarter of patients are now waiting more than a week to see patients GP.
article_snippet: the Conservatives said that this is piling pressure on emergency departments as patients who cannot get a GP appointment decide to go to A&E instead.
article_snippet: But a survey by the Daily Mail last year revealed millions of patients wait three weeks to see millions of patients GP, and only one in three now manages to secure a same-day appointment.
article_snippet: GPs have spoken out about their struggle to meet demand.
article_snippet: Maureen Baker, of the Royal College of GPs, said last week: 'GPs are facing unprecedented pressures in trying to care for increasing numbers of patients with increasingly limited resources. '
article_snippet: Maureen Baker, of the Royal College of GPs believe that the way to best improve patient care and keep the NHS sustainable is to invest properly in general practice and to ensure that Maureen Baker, of the Royal College of GPs have enough GPs to cope with the demand of Maureen Baker, of the Royal College of GPs growing and ageing population.'
article_snippet: She has previously warned that 'Maureen Baker, of the Royal College of GPs do worry on patient safety grounds that access is becoming more of a problem', as the delays to seeing patients can lead to late diagnoses of deadly illnesses such as cancer.
article_snippet: But critics accused Labour of botching negotiations of the GP contract in 2004, causing a drop in out-of-hours cover from GPs and forcing patients to attend crowded A&Es instead.
article_snippet: On Prime Minister , millions more patients are unhappy with millions more patients surgery opening hours.'
article_snippet: We've already made it easier for millions of busy people to see millions of busy people GP at a time that best suits millions of busy people, with more evening and weekend appointments.'
highlights_snippet: Nearly one in five patients cannot make appointments offered by surgeries .
  
highlights_snippet: 5.3million claim they are 'fairly or very dissatisfied' with GP opening hours .
  
highlights_snippet: A quarter of patients are now waiting more than a week to see patients doctor .