Patient-focused doctors could soon be history amid mounting pressures such as lack of funding and a growing population, claims a Braintree GP.

The claims were made at a public meeting attended by doctors, practice managers and officials from NHS England and the Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to discuss the challenges they face.

Dr Peter Mayo at Blandford Medical Centre said that there is a shortage of doctors to treat Braintree’s expanding population.

Linda Cutts, practice manager at Freshwell Health Centre in Finchingfield, said Braintree doctors are “absolutely overwhelmed”.

See this week's Braintree and Witham Times for the full story.