Unlike many other NHS services that operate seven days a week, many GP surgeries do not, and we feel this does not reflect current demand. As the population continues to grow, we believe this mismatch has reduced access to primary care and increased pressure on other parts of the NHS.

Opening GP surgeries seven days a week, in line with NHS hospitals, walk-in centres, and NHS 111, could significantly improve access to primary care. Greater appointment availability could allow more patients to be seen by their GP at an earlier stage, reducing the number of people attending hospitals for non-emergency issues. This could help shorten hospital waiting times, improve patient flow, and reduce pressure on overstretched hospital doctors while distributing workload more effectively.