ShortestWait

Hospital waiting times in Black Country

Midlands9 providersAugust 2026 figures

Across Black Country's hospitals, 221,620 patients were waiting at the end of August 2026. Half had waited less than 12.8 weeks, against 12.2 weeks across England.

Median wait
12.8 weeks
92% waiting less than
38.2 weeks
Waiting under 18 weeks
64%
Waiting over a year
1,582

Waiting times by specialty

Specialty Area median England median Shortest in the area
General surgery 14.1 wks 12.8 wks The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (8.7 wks)
Urology 13.6 wks 12.2 wks The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust (10.1 wks)
Orthopaedics 12.5 wks 13.9 wks Nuffield Health, Wolverhampton Hospital (6.8 wks)
Ear, nose and throat 18.1 wks 15.4 wks Modality Llp (9.6 wks)
Ophthalmology (eyes) 10.7 wks 10.4 wks Spamedica Wolverhampton (5.6 wks)
Oral surgery 19.3 wks 16.4 wks Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust (14.7 wks)
Plastic surgery 10.9 wks 14.0 wks The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (7.4 wks)
Cardiothoracic surgery 2.5 wks 9.6 wks no provider with 50+ waiting
General medicine 3.5 wks 10.2 wks no provider with 50+ waiting
Gastroenterology 13.3 wks 11.0 wks Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust (8.8 wks)
Cardiology (heart) 12.8 wks 11.9 wks The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust (7.0 wks)
Dermatology (skin) 11.0 wks 10.5 wks The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (4.7 wks)
Respiratory medicine 9.0 wks 10.4 wks Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust (8.3 wks)
Neurology 12.2 wks 13.2 wks Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust (5.7 wks)
Rheumatology 8.7 wks 10.9 wks The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (7.4 wks)
Elderly medicine 6.0 wks 7.6 wks Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust (4.7 wks)
Gynaecology 14.3 wks 14.2 wks Modality Llp (7.0 wks)
Other medical specialties 11.5 wks 10.7 wks The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (10.6 wks)
Other paediatric specialties 12.1 wks 12.3 wks Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust (9.7 wks)
Other surgical specialties 11.8 wks 11.4 wks Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust (7.4 wks)
Other services 18.1 wks 8.7 wks Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust (6.9 wks)

Area figures combine all the area's providers, counting every patient on their lists.

Median wait across all specialties

  • Black Country
  • England
Black Country: median wait in weeks, Sep 2024 to Aug 2026The median wait fell from 15.5 weeks to 12.8 weeks between September 2024 and August 2026.05101520Feb 2025Aug 2025Feb 2026Aug 202612.8 wks
Show the figures
MonthBlack CountryEngland
August 202612.812.2
July 202612.612
June 202612.611.9
May 202613.112.4
April 202612.411.9
March 202611.811.3
February 202614.113.2
January 202614.513.6
December 202514.213.5
November 202513.612.9
October 202514.113.3
September 202514.013.4
August 202514.113.5
July 202513.713.1
June 20251413.4
May 202514.413.6
April 202514.213.3
March 202515.113.9
February 202515.614.2
January 202515.814.5
December 202415.514.2
November 202415.314
October 202415.614.2
September 202415.514.4

Hospitals and providers in Black Country

Looking near a particular postcode? Search by postcode to include hospitals just over the area boundary.