West Yorkshire GP surgeries add an average of just 62 patients every year despite scare stories about immigrants “threatening” the NHS.

Brexit campaigners have claimed that our surgeries are “creaking under the strain” of new migrants from the European Union.

Vote Leave campaigner and MP Priti Patel even said our membership of the EU was “putting the NHS under threat”.

But what do the numbers really say?

The Examiner analysed GP patient registration figures from April 2013 - April 2016, released by the Health & Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), to find out.

In fact, the number of patients registered at West Yorkshire GP surgeries increased by only 2.6 per cent between 2013 and 2016.

That includes not just immigrants but also the extra population caused by the fact England sees more births than deaths.

This is an average increase of 62 patients every year at each of West Yorkshire’s 273 GP surgeries.

An extra 50,547 patients signed up in total, adding to the 1,923,490 already registered in April 2013.

This is in line with the national average increase of 2.8 per cent in patients registered - or 69 new patients every year.

Between 2013 and 2016, 2.8 per cent more patients registered with GP practices in England.

This is an average increase of 69 patients every year at each of the country’s 7,712 GP practices.

In total, it’s 1.59 million more patients.

Across the country, Birmingham South and Central had the biggest increase in patients - 25 per cent more. But neighbouring Birmingham Crosscity also saw a four per cent decrease.

Other areas with a decrease in patients registering include Lancashire North, Cannock Chase and Southend in Essex, whose MP David Amess wants to leave the European Union.

In 2016, 1,679 fewer patients were registered with GPs there than in 2013.

Area // % gain/ loss in patients registered Apr 2013 - Apr 2016

NHS ENGLAND // 2.8

FIVE HIGHEST GAIN

NHS BIRMINGHAM SOUTH AND CENTRAL CCG // 24.5

NHS CENTRAL LONDON (WESTMINSTER) CCG // 10.7

NHS TOWER HAMLETS CCG // 9.6

NHS CITY AND HACKNEY CCG // 7.8

NHS NORTH MANCHESTER CCG // 7.6

FIVE HIGHEST LOSS

NHS BLACKPOOL CCG // -0.5

NHS CANNOCK CHASE CCG // -0.5

NHS SOUTHEND CCG // -0.9

NHS LANCASHIRE NORTH CCG // -0.9

NHS BIRMINGHAM CROSSCITY CCG // -3.7