On 28 March I held a Westminster Hall debate on the recruitment and retention of GPs.

I made the casethat urgent government action is needed to address the crisis in General Practice in our area.

The debate was well attended by other MPs, many of whom shared similar stories about how difficult it is for people to make an appointment at their local practice.

The alarming decline in the number of full-time equivalent GPs across the north east is a matter of particular concern, especially given the wider pressures on NHS services in the region.

The Health Minister was far too complacent in his response about meeting the government’s target to increase the number of GPs by 5,000 by 2020.

The new medical school in Sunderland will help to address the long-term decline in GP numbers, but ministers need to act now to tackle the recruitment and retention crisis in General Practice.

To watch the BBC Look North feature on my Westminster Hall debate click here