ShortestWait

Rheumatology waiting times in Cheshire and Merseyside

North WestAugust 2026 figures

Across Cheshire and Merseyside, 5,939 patients were waiting for rheumatology treatment at the end of August 2026. Half had waited less than 13.2 weeks, against 10.9 weeks across England.

Area median wait
13.2 weeks
92% waiting less than
39.6 weeks
Waiting under 18 weeks
62%
Ranked providers
6

Hospitals in Cheshire and Merseyside ranked by median wait

# Hospital or provider Waiting Median wait 92% within Within 18 weeks vs 3 months ago
1 Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust NHS North West 441 10.0 wks 21.3 wks 84% 3.3 weeks longer
2 Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust NHS North West 643 10.1 wks 22.6 wks 82% 0.9 weeks longer
3 Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust NHS North West 1,566 13.0 wks 37.7 wks 64% 0.6 weeks shorter
4 North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust NHS North West 1,139 14.0 wks 39.3 wks 57% 3.5 weeks shorter
5 Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust NHS North West 963 16.1 wks 42.6 wks 54% 2.7 weeks shorter
6 Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust NHS North West 1,187 17.7 wks 47.9 wks 51% 0.3 weeks longer

Patients often travel across area boundaries. See every rheumatology provider in England, or search by postcode below.

Area median wait over two years

  • Cheshire and Merseyside
  • England
Cheshire and Merseyside: median wait in weeks, Sep 2024 to Aug 2026The median wait fell from 15.1 weeks to 13.2 weeks between September 2024 and August 2026.05101520Feb 2025Aug 2025Feb 2026Aug 202613.2 wks10.9 wks
Show the figures
MonthCheshire and MerseysideEngland
August 202613.210.9
July 202613.610.5
June 202613.610.4
May 202614.411.0
April 202613.510.6
March 202612.99.9
February 202614.911.7
January 202615.612.2
December 202515.511.9
November 202515.811.5
October 202516.111.8
September 20251611.8
August 202516.211.7
July 202516.211
June 202515.811.3
May 202516.111.3
April 202515.111
March 202515.810.8
February 202517.112.2
January 202517.312.4
December 202416.812.3
November 202416.111.8
October 202415.912.1
September 202415.112.2

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We only use the first half of your postcode (for example OX3), and we don't store it. If you use your location, we round it to about 1 km, use it once to find your postcode area, and don't store it.