NHS Hospital Waiting Times & Ratings
Compare waiting times, CQC ratings, and A&E performance across 419 NHS trusts in England
National Overview
Total Waiting List
5,769,095
↓ 124,913 vs last month
As of January 2026
Median Wait
14.2 weeks
As of January 2026
Within 18 Weeks
61.4%
↑ 0.1pp vs last month
Shortest Waits Now
View full rankings →Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
West Midlands
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
London
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
North East & Yorkshire
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
North West
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
East of England
Best CQC Rated Trusts
View all ratings →Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
North West
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
South West
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
East Midlands
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
East of England
Common Procedures
View all procedures →Browse by Region
View all regions →Data sourced from NHS England (Referral to Treatment waiting times, A&E statistics) and Care Quality Commission (CQC ratings). Last updated: 2026-03-14.
This website is independently operated and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NHS. Learn more about our data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NHS 18-week target?
The NHS Constitution sets a legal right for patients to start consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks of GP referral. The national target is 92% compliance. Currently, most trusts fall below this threshold.
How are Wait Scores calculated?
NHSQueue assigns each trust a Wait Score from A+ to F based on their 18-week compliance rate, median waiting time, trend direction, and waiting list size. A+ means consistently exceeding the 92% target. F means significant delays across most specialties.
How often is the data updated?
Referral-to-Treatment (RTT) data is published monthly by NHS England. A&E performance data is published weekly. We update our database within 48 hours of each NHS England release.
Can I choose which hospital to be referred to?
Yes. Under NHS patient choice, you have the legal right to choose any NHS hospital in England for your first outpatient appointment. Use our hospital comparison tool to find trusts with shorter waits for your specialty.
What does 'median wait' mean?
The median wait is the middle value — half of patients waited less than this, half waited more. It gives a more realistic picture than the average, which can be skewed by extremely long waits.