Diagnostic test · NHS England, July 2026
Sleep study NHS waiting times
Sleep studies monitor breathing and other signals overnight, for example to diagnose sleep apnoea. In July 2026, 42,802 people were waiting for one in England and 33.3% had waited 6 weeks or more.
People waiting
42,802
▼ −605 vs previous month
Waiting 6+ weeks
33.3%
▲ +2.4pp vs previous month
Standard: under 1%
Median wait so far
4.0 weeks
Tests done in the month
25,176
Shortest sleep study waits
Providers with at least 200 people waiting, sorted by share waiting 6+ weeks (July 2026).
| Hospital / provider | 6+ weeks | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Mid Yorkshire TeachingYorkshire & the Humber | 0.0% | 1.7 weeks |
| Leeds Teaching HospitalsYorkshire & the Humber | 0.0% | 2.7 weeks |
| University Hospitals of Morecambe BayNorth West | 0.0% | 2.8 weeks |
| East Lancashire HospitalsNorth West | 0.0% | 4.8 weeks |
| Liverpool University HospitalsNorth West | 0.2% | 2.1 weeks |
| Bradford Teaching HospitalsYorkshire & the Humber | 0.5% | 1.8 weeks |
| Wirral University Teaching HospitalNorth West | 0.8% | 0.7 weeks |
| North Cheshire and MerseyNorth West | 0.8% | 0.9 weeks |
| The Royal WolverhamptonWest Midlands | 0.9% | 2.3 weeks |
| Blackpool Teaching HospitalsNorth West | 0.9% | 3.2 weeks |
| Worcestershire Acute HospitalsWest Midlands | 2.4% | 1.0 weeks |
| Nottingham University HospitalsEast Midlands | 2.7% | 2.4 weeks |
| University Hospitals Coventry and WarwickshireWest Midlands | 3.5% | 2.6 weeks |
| The Shrewsbury and Telford HospitalWest Midlands | 4.6% | 2.6 weeks |
| Northern Care AllianceNorth West | 4.9% | 1.8 weeks |
Longest sleep study waits
- Medway90.4% 6+ wks
- North Cumbria Integrated Care78.3% 6+ wks
- Kingston and Richmond72.3% 6+ wks
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital70.7% 6+ wks
- Hampshire Hospitals70.2% 6+ wks
- Portsmouth Hospitals University68.2% 6+ wks
- Bedfordshire Hospitals65.4% 6+ wks
- London North West University Healthcare61.9% 6+ wks
- South Tyneside and Sunderland58.9% 6+ wks
- The Yorkshire Clinic56.6% 6+ wks
England, last 13 months
% of people waiting under 6 weeks
Show month-by-month figures
| Month | Waiting | Within 6 wks | 13+ wks |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 42,802 | 66.7% | 5,313 |
| June 2026 | 43,407 | 69.1% | 5,145 |
| May 2026 | 42,309 | 70.2% | 4,971 |
| April 2026 | 41,090 | 70.0% | 4,647 |
| March 2026 | 37,788 | 74.2% | 3,500 |
| February 2026 | 36,201 | 74.9% | 4,016 |
| January 2026 | 32,797 | 67.3% | 4,306 |
| December 2025 | 31,285 | 68.6% | 3,781 |
| November 2025 | 29,447 | 73.4% | 2,824 |
| October 2025 | 29,917 | 73.9% | 2,915 |
| September 2025 | 29,042 | 72.4% | 3,119 |
| August 2025 | 28,466 | 71.2% | 3,264 |
| July 2025 | 30,796 | 71.7% | 3,728 |
Questions
How long is the NHS waiting list for a sleep study?
In July 2026, 42,802 people in England were waiting for a sleep study. Half had waited longer than 4.0 weeks and 33.3% had waited 6 weeks or more. The NHS standard is that no more than 1% should wait 6 weeks.
Which hospitals have the shortest waits for a sleep study?
Among providers with at least 200 people waiting, the lowest share waiting 6+ weeks in July 2026 was at Mid Yorkshire Teaching (0.0%), Leeds Teaching Hospitals (0.0%), University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay (0.0%).
Can I get a scan or test done faster?
Tests are usually booked by the hospital or GP team that referred you. If you have been waiting a long time, contact the department or the hospital's patient advice and liaison service (PALS). Some tests are also offered at community diagnostic centres.
Sources: NHS England statistics on referral to treatment (RTT) waiting times (July 2026), A&E attendances (August 2026), diagnostic waiting times (DM01) and cancer waiting times, published 10 September 2026; hospital sites from the nhs.uk organisation data. Figures are checked against the official national totals before every update.
NHSQueue is an independent website and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NHS. How we use the data · Report an error · Photo credits