A recent survey published by NHS England found that one in five patients seeking appointments with general practitioners is faced with wait times of a week or more. This represents a 56 percent increase within the past five years. In addition, 11 percent of patients are unable to secure an appointment at first try, being forced to try again later or turn to the emergency department. Despite GP shortages, the number of GP appointments in England has risen steadily over the past five years; the number of visits is up 60 million since 2012.