The following table shows the number of patients registered with a general practitioner (or since 2004 with a general practice) in England in each year since 1997.
Numbers (headcount) 1997 50,917,256 1998 51,117,646 1999 50,898,948 2000 51,336,812 2001 51,254,833 2002 51,524,894 2003 52,713,780 2004 52,527,737 2005 52,817,500 Source: The Information Centre general and personal medical services statistics.