Why thousands of NHS GPs are cutting their hours despite plan to increase access to doctors

While salaried GPs across all age groups have been reducing their hours, many locum GPs are struggling to find work. Photograph: SolStock/Getty Images

Much of the health secretary’s plans to reinvent the NHS hinge on moving services from bed-blocked, overstretched hospitals to “neighbourhood health centres” where possible, and to general practice.

However, while Wes Streeting hopes to make it easier for patients to see their doctor, thousands of GPs have been dramatically cutting back their surgery hours in recent years.