A GP leader has leapt to the defence of family doctors across Cumbria after the Government sought to offload blame for high-profile NHS problems.

Furious Peter Weeks, chairman of the Cumbria Local Medical Committee (LMC), has written to all GPs in the county to thank them for their hard work and dedication following Theresa May's calls on surgeries to provide a seven-day service.

The Government suggested that national pressures in A&E could be alleviated if GP practices were opening seven days a week - and warned them they could lose funding if they don't.

But Dr Weeks said that doctors are already working round the clock to try and meet growing demands. He added that with with a huge shortage of GPs, the Government's calls for seven-day surgeries were unrealistic at best. "The standard day for a GP contract is 8am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, and most GP surgeries already do extra hours. Outside that you have Cumbria Health on Call providing out of hours cover and a lot of GPs also do work for them. The truth is there is always a GP available, 24/7," he explained.

Dr Weeks labelled the Government's comments as "completely unfair" and warned seven-day opening would only dilute weekday services.

"They are in a very difficult political situation and have chosen to lash out at a group already doing incredibly good work," he said.

"All of these things destroy morale at a time when it's already incredibly low and means recruitment and retention become even harder."

Dr Weeks highlighted the GP vacancy rate across Cumbria - 27 per cent in Copeland alone - and added that there are a high number of existing doctors reaching retirement age. He said growing pressures could result in others moving abroad.

The situation is so bad that in Carlisle three large practices recently merged, hoping that sharing resources will enable them to meet growing demand. Another stopped offering appointments in advance, forcing patients to ring up on a morning to get seen. "There are major recruitment issues throughout the whole of Cumbria but particularly the north and west," he said.

Dr Weeks added that at the same time, the Government's Success Regime wants to introduce new care hubs across Cumbria - led by already over-worked GPs.

He said a lot of good work is underway to try and stabilise general practice but the attempt - both from the Government and national media - to blame doctors for the A&E pressures was not helping. He added that there is no clear evidence that seven-day opening would help.

"The letter is to say to GPs you are valued, we know how hard you are working, thank you for that," he added.

The British Medical Association has also defended GPs, blaming the current crisis on a "chronic shortage of beds" and bed-blocking caused by a social care funding crisis.