Nearly 7,500 patients had to wait a month to see their GP in Wakefield

A total of 7,460 patients faced a wait of 28 days or more to see their doctor during October.

It is the highest figure since records began in 2017.

A further 11,719 people had to wait more than two weeks.

Almost two million people in England had to wait more than 28 days in October, while a further 4.3 million had to wait more than two weeks.

At the same time, the number of GPs has fallen to a record low.

Wakefield MP Simon Lightwood MP said the delays increase the risk of serious conditions going undiagnosed.

He said: “Patients in Wakefield are finding it impossible to see a GP when they need to.

“Among those thousands waiting more than a month or not getting an appointment at all, there will be conditions going undiagnosed until it is too late.

“Twelve years of Conservative failure to train the staff our NHS needs has left it with thousands fewer GPs, and patients are paying the price.”

The findings come as Labour announced plans to guarantee patients a face-to-face appointment with a GP if they want one.

MPs are also preparing to vote on a motion to abolish non-dom tax status, which allows some wealthy people who live in Britain to pay their taxes overseas.

Labour says the plan would double the number of medical school places, training 15,000 new doctors a year.

The party also claim it would pay for 10,000 additional nurses and midwives every year and train 5,000 new health visitors.

Mr Lightwood said: “We need doctors and nurses, not non-doms.

“Labour will train a new generation of doctors and nurses, paid for by abolishing non-doms.

“Patients need doctors’ appointments more than the wealthiest need a tax break.

“Patients should be able to see the doctor they want, in the manner they choose, when they need to.”