ShortestWait

Hospital waiting times in Essex

East of England16 providersAugust 2026 figures

Across Essex's hospitals, 317,798 patients were waiting at the end of August 2026. Half had waited less than 15.2 weeks, against 12.2 weeks across England.

Median wait
15.2 weeks
92% waiting less than
46.1 weeks
Waiting under 18 weeks
56%
Waiting over a year
14,584

Waiting times by specialty

Specialty Area median England median Shortest in the area
General surgery 14.9 wks 12.8 wks Southend Private Hospital (6.2 wks)
Urology 14.8 wks 12.2 wks Nuffield Health, Brentwood Hospital (10.1 wks)
Orthopaedics 19.8 wks 13.9 wks Provide Enterprises (5.4 wks)
Ear, nose and throat 18.8 wks 15.4 wks The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (12.4 wks)
Ophthalmology (eyes) 12.2 wks 10.4 wks Spamedica Colchester (5.1 wks)
Oral surgery 23.8 wks 16.4 wks The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (17.9 wks)
Neurosurgery 16.6 wks 13.4 wks Nuffield Health, Brentwood Hospital (14.6 wks)
Plastic surgery 20.2 wks 14.0 wks East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (11.5 wks)
General medicine 13.6 wks 10.2 wks Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (11.3 wks)
Gastroenterology 14.9 wks 11.0 wks Springfield Hospital (8.5 wks)
Cardiology (heart) 12.1 wks 11.9 wks Nuffield Health the Holly Hospital (2.7 wks)
Dermatology (skin) 12.1 wks 10.5 wks The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (8.0 wks)
Respiratory medicine 11.2 wks 10.4 wks East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (8.7 wks)
Neurology 16.4 wks 13.2 wks The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (12.2 wks)
Rheumatology 15.6 wks 10.9 wks Nuffield Health the Holly Hospital (12.5 wks)
Elderly medicine 6.5 wks 7.6 wks East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (4.0 wks)
Gynaecology 16.3 wks 14.2 wks Oaks Hospital (9.1 wks)
Other medical specialties 13.7 wks 10.7 wks The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (5.7 wks)
Other mental health 38.5 wks 8.4 wks no provider with 50+ waiting
Other paediatric specialties 18.5 wks 12.3 wks The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (6.1 wks)
Other surgical specialties 11.6 wks 11.4 wks Nuffield Health the Holly Hospital (3.8 wks)
Other services 9.1 wks 8.7 wks East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (7.1 wks)

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

Median wait across all specialties

  • Essex
  • England
Essex: median wait in weeks, Sep 2024 to Aug 2026The median wait fell from 16.4 weeks to 15.2 weeks between September 2024 and August 2026.05101520Feb 2025Aug 2025Feb 2026Aug 202615.2 wks12.2 wks
Show the figures
MonthEssexEngland
August 202615.212.2
July 202615.112
June 202615.411.9
May 202615.412.4
April 202614.711.9
March 202615.111.3
February 20261613.2
January 202616.913.6
December 202517.113.5
November 202516.812.9
October 202516.613.3
September 202516.413.4
August 202516.313.5
July 202516.613.1
June 202516.613.4
May 202516.613.6
April 202517.313.3
March 202517.313.9
February 202517.214.2
January 202517.314.5
December 202417.014.2
November 202416.414
October 202416.514.2
September 202416.414.4

Hospitals and providers in Essex

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