Pressure on practices has been increasing massively since the summer, according to new figures.

Non-GP clinicians are handling the bulk of extra appointments – but GPs are also having to manage the growing demand, according to NHS Digital figures.

There were nearly 31 million practice appointments in October, an increase of four million on September, according to the NHS Digital data. This was also an increase of nearly two million on October 2018, when there were 29 million appointments.

According to the data, non-GP clinicians handled 14.5 million appointments in October, nearly half the total. This was an increase in three million in a month, perhaps reflecting the annual flu vaccination campaign. It compared with 13.4 million a year earlier.

GPs meanwhile took 14.2 million appointments – compared with 13.7 million a year earlier and 12.9 million in September. Recent reports have highlighted growing GP patient list sizes, compounded by continuing reductions in the number of qualified GPs.

NHS Digital highlights the growing use of Saturday clinics to manage patient demand. Practices had 307,000 appointments per Saturday in October, an increase of 92,000 on the numbers for Saturdays in September.

Speaking about the GP shortage, Royal College of GPs chair Professor Martin Marshall said: “Reducing the undoable workload and having plans in place to ensure GPs don’t experience burnout is imperative in keeping the frontline of the NHS safe for patients.”