Release date represents the date figures were accessed.
*Registered doctors in the UK do not all have a license to practice.
The UK General Medical Council provides the following information on registered and licensed doctors: "Not all doctors on the medical register are licensed to practice medicine in the UK. By staying on the register, they are demonstrating that they remain in good standing with the GMC and that they want to retain a connection to the GMC and to the profession as a whole. They cannot treat patients, but may be using their skills in a variety of different settings. Licensing was first introduced in November 2009. The number of licensed doctors is not a measure of the size of the workforce, but a measure of the potentially available workforce. Changes in the numbers of licensed doctors in the years following the introduction of licensing should be interpreted with caution. The numbers may also have been affected by the introduction of Revalidation at the end of 2012; this requires doctors to demonstrate every five years that they are keeping their knowledge and skills up to date."
The number of doctors registered in the United Kingdom has increased over the period observed, from ** in 2006 to over ** by 2024. This was largely due to the increase in female doctors, which has more than doubled in this period. The gap between the number of male and female doctors is narrowing each year. The gender gap has already closed for licensed doctors* in the UK
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.
Learn more about how ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ can support your business.
General Medical Council. (February 28, 2025). Number of doctors registered in the United Kingdom from 2006 to 2024, by gender [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Retrieved July 22, 2026, from /statistics/1559804/registered-doctors-by-gender-uk/
General Medical Council. "Number of doctors registered in the United Kingdom from 2006 to 2024, by gender." Chart. February 28, 2025. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Accessed July 22, 2026. /statistics/1559804/registered-doctors-by-gender-uk/
General Medical Council. (2025). Number of doctors registered in the United Kingdom from 2006 to 2024, by gender. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 22, 2026. /statistics/1559804/registered-doctors-by-gender-uk/
General Medical Council. "Number of Doctors Registered in The United Kingdom from 2006 to 2024, by Gender." ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc., 28 Feb 2025, /statistics/1559804/registered-doctors-by-gender-uk/
General Medical Council, Number of doctors registered in the United Kingdom from 2006 to 2024, by gender ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, /statistics/1559804/registered-doctors-by-gender-uk/ (last visited July 22, 2026)
Number of doctors registered in the United Kingdom from 2006 to 2024, by gender [Graph], General Medical Council, February 28, 2025. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1559804/registered-doctors-by-gender-uk/