Over 65,000 North East residents are waiting over 28 days for a GP appointment, according to new data.

NHS figures reveal thousands of patients around the region are facing an agonising wait to see a GP - with some areas faring worse than others.

Data from around the region shows that 1,896 people in Hartlepool face the month-long wait, as 4,378 are waiting in Middlesborough.

City of Durham MP, Mary Kelly Foy has reacted to the latest statistics, showing 1,511 patients in her constituency are facing month long waits to be seen.

She said: “This data makes crystal clear that the longer the Conservatives govern, the longer NHS patients wait in City of Durham and across the country.”

“The NHS is crying out for a long-term workforce plan to ensure patients can be seen on time, yet the Government offer only sticking plaster solutions. The public agree that we need nurses rather than ‘non doms’ in this country. That’s why Labour is choosing to invest in our overstretched NHS workforce."

Labour candidate for Hartlepool Jonathan Brash has said Hartlepool residents are “finding it impossible” to see a GP.

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

He added: “Anyone who has had to rely on the NHS recently can see it is desperately short of staff. The NHS is backing Labour’s plan to double medical school places. Why isn’t the government?”

Elsewhere, only 410 patients in Stockton South face the wait, whilst in Darlington the figure stands at 3,550.

These statistics come as Labour plan to axe the non-dom tax status to fund the NHS service and double medical school places in universities.

Read more: Labour announces to axe non-dom tax rate in Barnard Castle visit

In an exclusive interview with The Northern Echo, the Shadow Health Secretary confirmed Labour’s plans, stating: “the NHS is in the biggest crisis in its history.”

He added: “If we’re serious about making an NHS fit for the future, only a Labour government is going to do that.”

Labour say their plans would see 10,000 more places on nursing and clinical courses as well as training 5,000 health visitors.

When asked about the figures, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We're making sure patients get to see their GP quickly. These figures show we delivered almost four million more appointments last month, the equivalent to almost 120,000 every working day." 

"There are more than 400 additional doctors in general practice compared to a year ago, face-to-face appointments are up by over 10 per cent and we are on track to hit our target of 26,000 additional members of staff including pharmacists, physiotherapists, and paramedics,  who are providing care directly to patients, or supporting doctors and nurses to do so."

They added: "While there is more to do, we are focused on the government’s priority to cut waiting lists so people get the care they need more quickly and improving access to dedicated healthcare professionals up and down the country."