GP waiting times in Wales will get worse as a result of increases to businesses' National Insurance contributions, a senior doctor has warned.
Dr Rowena Christmas, chairwoman of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Wales, said the changes announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in the Budget felt like an "absolute crisis" and a "crushing disappointment".
The UK government said it had provided funding to support businesses with NI increases.
But the Welsh government said this was based on England's costs rather than Wales' actual needs and Downing Street had left it with a "significant shortfall".
Unlike other NHS services, GP practices operate as private businesses and are funded by government contracts, which means they are not exempt from the NI increases, which came into effect last month.
GP partners now have to pay NI at 15% on salaries above £5,000 instead of 13.8% on salaries above £9,100.
