NHS technology is so out-of-date it takes 17 minutes to log into PCs in the morning, the UK’s top family doctor has said.

Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners revealed she could almost complete two appointments in the time it takes to start up her 10-year-old IT system.

The Midlands GP said her practice is still forced to rely on Windows 7.

Launched in 2009, the operating system is now considered so redundant that Microsoft no longer offers technical support to customers still using it.

In front of an audience of hundreds of GPs, Dr Stokes-Lampard told Matt Hancock she is lucky if she can make it through the morning without the PC crashing.

“Right now I'm still working on Windows 7 in my own practice - it still takes me 17 minutes to log on to my surgery [computer] on a Monday morning,” she said.

The comment was seen as a challenge to the Health and Social Care Secretary, who had been speaking passionately about the potential for advanced IT in the NHS to improve services.

Mr Hancock had already provoked boos from the RCGP audience by reminding them he is personally registered with a virtual GP practice, provided by Babylon.