Thousands of people have had to wait for more than a week to see their GP in the past year, a politician claims.

Labour's parliamentary candidate for Harrow East Uma Kumaran says around one in seven patients in Harrow face a wait of seven days or more to see a doctor.

The number comes following the release of the GP survey statistics in the NHS England CCG Report for July 2014.

Based on the figures, the Labour candidate estimates around 33,000 people have had to wait more than a week.

Miss Kumaran said: “On the doorstep I hear a lot of people are concerned about their local NHS and at the top of their list is seeing their GP.

“People want to see their GP when they are ill because it is a comfort to know the person who is caring for them.

“If people have to wait longer for GP appointments then they are more likely to go to A&E just to see a doctor when they don’t really need to, and people don’t want to wait three hours to see someone at a walk-in centre.

“With the pressure Northwick Park is under at the moment I think there is crisis coming for healthcare in Harrow.

“Doctors, nurses and health care professionals do a fantastic job coping at the moment but more needs to be done.

“Labour will invest to help people get a GP appointment within 48 hours.”

Harrow Clinical Commissioning group said it is doing more to make it easier for patients to see their GP faster.

Earlier this year GPs in North West London, including Harrow, were given £5million to extend opening hours, offer weekend openings and to provide better technology make it easier to make an appointment.

The money is being spread among seven other London boroughs including Hillingdon, Brent, and Ealing.