Procedure · ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat)
Tonsillectomy NHS waiting times
Also known as tonsil removal
Waiting-list data: July 2026Published by NHS England on · next release expected 8 October 2026 · sources
Removing the tonsils, usually after repeated severe tonsillitis. On the NHS it is carried out by ent (ear, nose & throat) teams. In July 2026, half of the 594,940 people waiting for ent (ear, nose & throat) in England had waited longer than 14.8 weeks.
Median wait, ent (ear, nose & throat)
14.8 weeks
▲ +0.1 wk vs previous month
Waiting under 18 weeks
57.6%
▼ −1.4pp vs previous month
NHS standard: 92%
People waiting in England
594,940
▼ −533 vs previous month
Waiting over 52 weeks
12,822
Thinking of paying privately?
Published self-pay prices for tonsillectomy at the main UK private hospital groups start from £2,999 (up to about £4,500).
Shortest ent (ear, nose & throat) waits in England
Providers with at least 500 patients waiting, sorted by median wait so far (July 2026). Includes independent hospitals that treat NHS patients.
| Hospital / provider | Median | Under 18 wks |
|---|---|---|
| King's College HospitalLondon | 5.3 weeks | 88.7% |
| Inhealth Limited | 5.8 weeks | 87.9% |
| Clementine Churchill Hospital | 7.2 weeks | 97.8% |
| East Lancashire HospitalsNorth West | 7.2 weeks | 77.5% |
| Beacon Medical Services Group Limited | 7.6 weeks | 96.8% |
| South Tyneside and SunderlandEast of England | 7.9 weeks | 82.5% |
| Buckshaw Hospital | 9.5 weeks | 82.2% |
| The Yorkshire Clinic | 10.0 weeks | 69.9% |
| Royal Cornwall HospitalsSouth West | 10.1 weeks | 76.2% |
| The Newcastle upon Tyne HospitalsNorth East & Yorkshire | 10.2 weeks | 77.0% |
| The RotherhamYorkshire & the Humber | 10.3 weeks | 70.1% |
| Chesterfield Royal HospitalEast Midlands | 10.6 weeks | 69.6% |
ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) waits by region
Share of patients waiting under 18 weeks, July 2026.
- North East & Yorkshire68.0%19,955 waiting
- South West59.7%43,515 waiting
- North West59.6%80,654 waiting
- London58.2%86,853 waiting
- Yorkshire & the Humber57.2%55,559 waiting
- South East56.9%86,107 waiting
- East Midlands54.4%48,762 waiting
- East of England54.2%76,430 waiting
- West Midlands53.4%64,279 waiting
ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) in England, last 13 months
% waiting under 18 weeks
Show month-by-month figures
| Month | Waiting | Within 18 wks | Over 52 wks |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 594,940 | 57.6% | 12,822 |
| June 2026 | 595,473 | 59.0% | 12,570 |
| May 2026 | 595,204 | 58.9% | 12,707 |
| April 2026 | 589,187 | 58.3% | 12,785 |
| March 2026 | 580,054 | 58.4% | 12,596 |
| February 2026 | 587,637 | 55.1% | 15,490 |
| January 2026 | 589,045 | 53.3% | 16,122 |
| December 2025 | 591,034 | 52.5% | 16,212 |
| November 2025 | 589,891 | 52.0% | 18,434 |
| October 2025 | 615,457 | 51.3% | 22,105 |
| September 2025 | 619,049 | 51.2% | 23,903 |
| August 2025 | 625,167 | 50.2% | 26,232 |
| July 2025 | 630,229 | 50.9% | 27,100 |
Waiting a long time for tonsillectomy?
In England you can usually choose which hospital you are referred to, including independent hospitals that treat NHS patients.
How the right to choose worksQuestions about tonsillectomy waits
How long is the NHS waiting list for tonsillectomy?
NHS England does not publish waits for individual operations. Tonsillectomy is managed by ent (ear, nose & throat) teams: in July 2026, 594,940 people in England were waiting for ent (ear, nose & throat) treatment, half had waited longer than 14.8 weeks and 57.6% had waited under 18 weeks. Waits vary a lot between hospitals.
Which hospitals have the shortest waits for tonsillectomy?
Among larger providers, the shortest ent (ear, nose & throat) median waits in July 2026 were at King's College Hospital (5.3 weeks), Inhealth Limited (5.8 weeks), Clementine Churchill Hospital (7.2 weeks). Check the provider treats your condition before asking to be referred there.
Can I get tonsillectomy faster on the NHS?
In England you can usually choose which hospital you are referred to, including independent hospitals that treat NHS patients. Choosing a provider with a shorter list is the main legitimate way to be treated sooner.
Can I pay for tonsillectomy privately?
Yes. Private hospitals publish their own self-pay prices, which vary by hospital and by what is included (consultations, scans, follow-up). Ask for a fixed all-inclusive price and check the hospital on the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN).
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.
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