General practice needs an action plan for recovery, the new leaders of the NHS were told today.

A five point plan includes a call to ensure practice premises are fit for purpose within three years. This would allow safe care to delivered in modern buildings with reliable technology, according to the Royal College of GPs.

The college issued its plan addressed to new Health Secretary Sajid Javid and new NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard. It says the NHS must eradicate bureaucratic burdens and unnecessary workload faced by GPs also within three years. The college also calls for a “strong voice” for GPs in the new integrated care systems, which will gain legal status if Parliament approves the current Health and Care Bill, launched by Mr Javid.

The government must also “ramp up” efforts to deliver the Conservative election promise of achieving 6,000 more GPs in the next three years, the college says. Recent data shows declining GP numbers in spite of significant increases in trainee numbers. Finally, the college says more needs to be done to improve recruitment and integration of up to 26,000 other staff due to join practices by 2024. The college says GP consultation numbers are now 11% greater than two years ago – but in six years the number of full time equivalent GPs has fallen by 4.5% or 1,307 posts. It warns that at least a third of doctors are considering leaving general practice within five years.

College president Professor Martin Marshall said: “General practice has been running on empty for too long. Despite the enormous strain under which GPs and their teams have been working, the latest independent GP patient survey reveals patients’ positive experiences. This is a testament to the efforts of GPs and their teams but the situation can’t continue for much longer without serious consequences. We need an expanded workforce with the appropriate support and premises if we are to improve access, reduce health inequalities, ensure patient safety, and give GPs more time to care for and build trusting relationships with their patients.

“We are offering the new Secretary of State and the incoming leader of the NHS in England ready-made solutions to the problems that have beset general practice for more than a decade – our proposals will improve the care of patients for generations to come. We now need urgent action and for those solutions to be implemented.”