A health watchdog has said it is surprised the council is unaware of increased demands the elderly are putting on GPs as practices across the nation continue to battle cuts to services and increased workloads.

Healthwatch Bucks has questioned Bucks County Council health chief Cllr Mike Appleyard after he stated that BCC had not been made aware of the issue.

This follows a report by the MFP last week which revealed a staggering 50 percent of patients making an appointment at Marlow’s only surgery do not need to see a GP.

Poor funding for general practice and “failings” in social care form the number of reasons surgeries are facing this crisis according to doctors across south Bucks.

Chief executive of Healthwatch Bucks, Richard Corbett, said: “I found Mike Appleyard’s comments very surprising actually.

“There’s so much work going on between the county council and the CCG to work on healthcare in the area so I am surprised he has not had any concerns.

“This is a nationally wide problem and social care is one part of the jigsaw together with the growing and ageing population.

“Most of the reports we get are about GP’s and appointment waiting times. The services people engage most with is GPs so that is what we get the most feedback from.”

The Chiltern’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) confirmed work is underway with BCC to prevent the onset of long term conditions – such as heart disease, strokes and diabetes – which is hoped to take pressure off GP services.

Cllr Appleyard, BCC cabinet member for health and wellbeing said he was aware that GP practices are struggling but insisted the council were not told issues in social care were adding to the workload.

He said: “I am aware that GPs have a problem but I was not aware that we were adding to that problem.

“We have since been in touch with the GPs and we will see what can be done to help. When we know that there is an issue we will try to establish ways we can help."

Dr Penny Macdonald from the Marlow Medical Group and Dr Fiona Galton Fenzi from Stokenchurch Medical Centre also questioned NHS England after it also claimed it was not aware Bucks surgeries were facing any particular difficulties.

They said: "We are surprised that NHS England are not aware that any practices in Buckinghamshire are reporting particular difficulties considering that at least two have been forced to hand their contracts back to NHS England.

“We would also state that it is not just the pressure of rising patient demand that has caused problems but the inability of funding for general practice to match rising costs coupled with Bucks’ historically lower funding per capita for general practice compared to other areas.”

A spokesperson for NHS England said:"“We continue to support practices and hold discussions to develop options for practices.

"We are also working with Aylesbury Vale and Chiltern CCGs to support the development of federated working in Buckinghamshire to support sustainable primary care and transformation."