Many practices are struggling to recruit GPs

A report by the party's health spokesman suggests the NHS is struggling to cope in the face of a major shortage of GPs.

Paul Burstow said changing the way the NHS is run and giving GPs and patients more power is the only way to improve the situation.

But the Department of Health has rejected the claims.

Health minister John Hutton said: "We are expanding primary care in the NHS as quickly as possible. There are now more GPs than ever before."

Thousands of vacancies

The Lib Dem report claims there are over 3,000 GP vacancies across England.

It says the situation will get even worse in the months and years ahead as more GPs retire.

We are expanding primary care in the NHS as quickly as possible Department of Health spokeswoman

It also suggests the government will fail to come close to meeting its target to recruit 2,000 extra GPs by the end of 2004.

It points to figures which suggest that only 65 new GPs have taken up jobs in the NHS since 1999.

The report says that the shortages are having a major impact on patients.

It says one in three GPs in London is unable to take on any new patients.

It claims waiting times are getting long and three out of four patients wait more than two days for an appointment.

"With GP vacancies mounting, surgeries turning away patients and retirements outstripping recruitment, the GP sector is lurching from crisis to crisis," Mr Burstow said.

"The local GP is the cornerstone of the health service. Patients are facing enormous difficulties finding a GP, waiting longer and finding it harder to get care out of hours."

Mr Hutton said: "There are now more GPs in the NHS than at any time in its history. More patients are getting to see a GP within 48 hours than ever before.

"But we know there is still more to do, that's why we have increased training places for GPs and encouraged many back to work."

However, Dr John Chisholm of the British Medical Association said: "There is a national shortage of GPs compared to other countries.

"The bottom line is that, however good the plans are, we need more family doctors in order to offer patients the modern high quality service they deserve."