The normal waiting time for a patient to see a GP could reach three weeks within five years, it was claimed today.

The analysis suggests that, without major changes, every GP will have to find another four hours a week to cope with demands from patients.

The prediction is based on trends in patient demand continuing – as patients currently wait for 13 days on average for an appointment, according to Pulse magazine.

Some 830 doctors took part in a survey on patient waiting times.

Royal College of GPs chair Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard said: “Hard pressed GPs around the country are already running on empty so these predictions are really concerning. As well as huge increases in the volume of patient numbers, disease management is also becoming much more complex and we simply cannot do any more without a significant injection of investment in general practice, including a significant influx of GPs.

“We are feeling the impact of a decade of under-investment in the family doctor service on a daily basis. Today alone, over one million patients will have received care at their local practice and we are seeing 60 million more patients per year compared even to five years ago.”

The King’s Fund yesterday released its own analysis of the state of general practice, highlighting “enormous pressure” on the service.

Its survey of 300 trainee GPs found that just 31% intended to work full-time in general practice. Many doctors said they planned portfolio careers – with a part-time commitment to general practice.

The think-tank concludes: “With workload continuing to grow, GPs will continue to be over-stretched, especially as the pledge to recruit 5,000 more GPs by 2020/21 looks very challenging.”

A Conservative spokesman said: “We disagree with the findings of what amounts to a self-selecting survey – but to speed up access and relieve pressure on GPs we are investing £2.4 billion more in primary care, a historic 14 per cent real-terms rise.

“Last year we recruited the biggest ever number of trainee doctors.”