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The Conservative Party is tonight pledging to build 100 new GP practices if it wins the general election.

Rishi Sunak is also promising to upgrade another 150 existing surgeries, while expanding his Pharmacy First commitment, saying more treatments would be available without the need to visit a GP.

Expanding the program would give women more contraceptive options, provide menopause support and provide treatment for more conditions, such as acne and lung infections.

The Conservatives say this would free up 20 million GP appointments, once fully implemented.

They also pledge to expand the community diagnostic center program, building 50 more on top of the existing 160, which they say would increase capacity for 2.5 million more checks and diagnostic tests .

The Conservatives say this will be paid for by reducing the number of NHS managers to pre-pandemic levels and halving management consultancy spending in government, insisting the policy is 'fully costed' .

The pledge to build new GP practices is likely to raise eyebrows, however, after a 'damning' report revealed the government will not be able to deliver 40 new hospitals by 2030, as promised by the Tories during the last general elections of 2019.

The National Audit Office (NAO) concluded that only 32 of the promised 40 hospitals would be delivered by 2030, due to the project being over budget and difficult to implement (read more in the report here) .

In a statement, Rishi Sunak said: “The NHS is one of our most important national assets and the Conservatives are making long-term decisions to secure its future.

“As part of our clear plan, we are investing in community services to make it quicker, easier and easier for patients to receive the care they need and help ease pressure on hospital services.”

Hear more from Health Secretary Victoria Atkins live on Sunday morning with Trevor Phillips starting at 8:30am tomorrow.