Data published by the Government show that there has been a 14% increase in the number of GP appointments since 2019 under the NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board.

Data shows:

• GP appointments in the 12-months to November 2019: 6,598,147
• GP appointments in the 12-months to November 2023: 7,535,073
• 12-months to November percentage increase since 2019: 14%

Alicia Kearns, MP for the local area, has welcomed the increase in GP appointments in Rutland and Melton since 2019.

This increase in GP appointments has contributed to the Government's commitment to deliver 50 million additional GP appointments nationally.

In the 12 months to October 2023 there were 363 million appointments booked across all GP settings in England, including around 8.8 million Covid-19 vaccination appointments. This total is 51 million more than over the 12 months to October 2019, fulfilling the Government's 2019 manifesto commitment.

To help the NHS recover from the pandemic and cut waiting lists, in May 2023 the Government announced the Primary Care Access Recovery Plan. The plan focuses on three key areas:

• Tackling the 8am rush by giving GPs new digital tools.
• Freeing up GP appointments by funding pharmacists to do more with a 'pharmacy first'approach
• Providing more GP staff and more appointments.

Alicia Kearns, Member of Parliament for Rutland and Melton, said: "Thanks to the work of our local GPs and primary care teams, we have made great progress to improve access to GP appointments across Rutland and Melton and tackle NHS wait lists.

"However, I am aware there is still progress to be made, and I am encouraged by the Government's Primary Care Access Recovery Plan which will make it significantly easier for patients to contact their GP and get an appointment when they need one."

Victoria Atkins, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said: "I am hugely grateful for the work of our GPs and wider primary care staff in helping us to meet this goal. But we know there is further to go. That is why we are committed to delivering against the ambitions set out in our Primary Care Access Recovery Plan – ending the 8am rush and rolling out new services including an enhanced role for community pharmacy."

This comes as NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board have released a survey asking if the services provided by local doctors have improved in Rutland.

Find out more and complete the survey here.