New statistics from a survey carried out by the Labour party have revealed that extended-hours surgeries are increasingly being found `unviable' by GP practices.

On the basis of data pulled together from 91 out of a total of 151 PCTs in England, the Labour party found that nearly 56 percent of the PCTs reported a fall in the number of GP practices that offer extended opening hours.

Specifically speaking, during the coursed of the last one year, figures pertaining to GP practices offering appointments outside normal working hours witnessed a plunge of 5.7 percent.

With as many as 31 percent GP practices cutting down their opening hours, NHS Hartlepool witnessed the biggest drop in practices offering extended hours; while both NHS Newcastle and NHS Haringey reported that extended opening hours are no longer being offered by nearly 25 percent of practices.

About the figures showing fall in the number of practices offering extended opening hours, Andy Burnham MP - Labour's shadow health secretary - said that the statistics were a clear indication of how patient care was being impacted by the NHS overhaul.

Noting that "the Government's calamitous decision to reorganise the NHS has taken eyes off the ball and allowed the system to drift," Burnham said that the "decision to stop the national monitoring of GP opening hours sent out the wrong signal, and now patients are paying the price."