More than 126,000 people in Cumbria were unable to access a GP appointment within a week, new figures show.

Statistics released by NHS England show that about a quarter of the county’s population have had to wait for a week to speak to a GP, nurse – or secure no appointment at all.

The figures have today been highlighted by Copeland MP Jamie Reed, who says the numbers are an increase of about three per cent – 4,000 people – on last year.

He’s used the findings to criticise the Government, claiming they show people in Cumbria are finding it harder to access the services they need while the NHS is under the stewardship of Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Mr Reed said: “Our dedicated local GPs and NHS staff work incredibly hard under increasing pressures.

“It is clear that with ever increasing numbers of people in Cumbria unable to access a GP appointment, patients are paying the price for Government’s mismanagement of the NHS.”

The statistics, published in the latest edition of the GP Patient Survey, show that of the people who could not access a convenient appointment, about 3,900 people turned to hospital A&E departments.

Meanwhile, about 103,800 people are only able to see their preferred GP some of the time, or never, the figures add.

Health chiefs in the county are embarking on a massive operation to improve the area’s health services.

At the centre of that in the primary care sector are renewed efforts to tackle a GP recruitment crisis blamed for a huge proportion of Cumbria’s care problems.

Mr Reed, a former Labour front-bench health spokesman, says improving access to GPs is critical to taking pressure of struggling A&E departments, helping the entire health sector.

He added: “Here in west Cumbria, our community is determined to build a health economy to overcome the unique challenges that we face.

“Government must now provide us with the immediate commitment, support and investment that we require.

“I continue to press the Health Secretary, who has so far refused to visit west Cumbria, to come to see for himself the challenges that we face in accessing health services and the absolute need for him to step up and take responsibility for providing a truly national health service.”

A delegation of health campaigners recently travelled to Westminster and met Care Minister Ben Gummer to highlight many of the concerns about NHS services across the spectrum in north and west Cumbria.

They had been due to meet Mr Hunt, who has faced repeated requests to visit Cumbria.