Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on (a) the number of GP appointments available and (b) excess demand for those appointments in each of the last five years.

The 12-month rolling sum of appointments in each of the last five years, excluding COVID-19 vaccination appointments, is as follows:

• 284,800,000 as of September 2020;
• 302,910,000 as of September 2021;
• 325,100,000 as of September 2022;
• 351,758,870 as of September 2023; and
• 376,460,990 as of September 2024.

We know that patients are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP) and we are committed to fixing the crisis in GPs. Our plan to restore GPs will require both investment and reform, and we have already invested £82 million to recruit 1,000 newly qualified GPs in 2024/25, which will increase the number of appointments delivered in GPs and take pressure off those currently working in the system.