A Narrative Research survey commissioned by the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association shows 24 per cent of people asked do not have a family doctor.

The NLMA says that percentage extended to the province’s overall population equates to approximately 125,000 people without a family doctor.

NLMA President Dr. Susan MacDonald says the Medical Association has been conducting surveys on the availability of family physicians for the last nine years, and things are only getting worse.

In 2014 the percentage was 11 per cent and last summer 19 per cent of those asked reported they don’t have a family doctor.

The worst numbers are in Eastern rural and Central Newfoundland where 37 per cent of respondents indicate they don’t have a family physician.

The survey was conducted between May 5 and the 24 using a random sample of 400 adults in Newfoundland and Labrador aged 18 and older. Overall results are accurate to within plus or minimum 4.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.