Nearly 20% of GP patients waited for longer than two weeks for an appointment in October – and a million waited nearly a month, according to new figures while 10% waited for more than three weeks, NHS Digital reported in the first analysis of its kind.

The 2.8 million people who had appointments after waiting for three weeks or more represented a small increase on 12 months earlier, analysts said.

In total 27 million people had GP appointments and 10.8 million saw a doctor on the day they asked for an appointment. 1.36 million waited for more than 28 days.

Senior GPs said the figures highlighted the pressure on practices although NHS Digital says the figures are still experimental.

British Medical Association GP committee chair Dr Richard Vautrey said: “This new data will become an important resource, and although only providing a limited snapshot of the total work that GPs and their teams do, it now provides clear evidence of the huge amount they are doing, booking more than a million appointments a day.

“The largest proportion of these appointments are made and attended on the same day, and the majority of patients are seen within a week of booking – showing that, despite rising demand, that general practice is offering a high quality and timely service to patients within their community.”

Royal College of GPs chair Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard said: “Despite the best efforts of GPs and our teams, who are working incredibly hard to deliver more consultations than ever before, our patients are waiting too long to secure a GP appointment.

“We know this is frustrating for them and their families, and it’s frustrating for GPs and our teams too.”