A study shows as many as four in 10 adults now struggle to access a GP the equivalent of 9.8 million patients a month.
The research, drawn from Office for National Statistics figures, also reveals 18 per cent say the long waits to see their doctor are affecting their physical health. And 24 per cent say it affects their mental health.
It also shows 25 per cent are waiting for a hospital appointment, test or some form of NHS medical treatment. And of these, 18 per cent have been waiting over a year.
The figures help explain spiralling numbers of patients opting to pay for private healthcare or choosing to turn up at overcrowded A&E departments.
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