Following the latest political announcement that family doctors (and that goes for their practice receptionists, nurses and admin staff) could be required to work 8am-8pm, 7 days a week, it is worth remembering, that the hardworking, patient-focused family doctor has never left us.

He or she is already working much longer than the current 8am-6.30pm contract, with evenings and weekends spent on endless amounts of red-tape, targets, correspondence and chasing test results, follow-up appointments and much more - all of which takes them away from providing direct patient care.

GPs aren’t asking for sympathy, simply an open, honest conversation and cooperation about the real threats facing the NHS today.

The pressures placed upon neighbourhood family doctor and local community services are putting these services at breaking point and yet less than 10 per cent of the total NHS budget is spent on these.

Where does the rest go? The bulk of funding goes to Secondary care services, which even so remain stretched and require emergency infusions of cash and to the bureaucracy - obsessed NHS management.

Secondary care funding has been and is a topic worthy of discussion in its own right. However, the sums of money and the time spent on bureaucracy is shameful. Time spent not just by management, but by clinicians.

Our practices, our patients/carers and your readers all deserve to hear and read the story behind the headlines.

Our local media have a valuable role to play in making sure that happens, my thanks to you.

Dr Marek Jarzembowski; Chairman of Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Local Medical Committee