None of the three GPs was able to make it into the Harleston Medical Practice, deep in the heart of rural Norfolk, during last week’s heavy snow.

Practice manager Maria Flood managed to make it to work on a local farmer’s tractor after waking up to four-foot snow-drifts – and was able to coordinate patient calls.

She said: “All of our GPs set off at 6am to make the 30-minute journey into work but all ended up stranded. They had mobile Wi-Fi and laptops in their cars so were able to make calls and triage patients as usual whilst awaiting rescue.“

In the north of the county tractors were also pressed into service to deliver medication.

Two farmers offered their services to the Acle Medical Centre, serving Stokesby and Coltishall. One of the centre’s GPs spent four hours travelling to work and twice had to be dug out of snow drifts.

Meanwhile in North Devon, GP Dr Glen Allaway solved the travel problem by setting up a camp bed at the Lynton Health Centre. His community nurse used a quad bike to reach patients.

NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens said: “Once again the NHS is showing that we are there for people when they need us and that’s all down to our staff – so a huge thank you to everybody across the NHS who has gone the extra mile for people at this highly pressurised time.”

Meanwhile an urgent appeal for blood donors has been made after the bad weather led to a shortfall of thousands of units.

NHS Blood and Transplant identified O+, O-, A+ and B+ blood together with A- platelets as being in particular short supply.

Hospitals need 6,000 units a day but very few donations were made on Friday as heavy snow blanketed the UK.