ShortestWait

Hospital waiting times in Kent and Medway

South East19 providersAugust 2026 figures

Across Kent and Medway's hospitals, 221,569 patients were waiting at the end of August 2026. Half had waited less than 13.3 weeks, against 12.2 weeks across England.

Median wait
13.3 weeks
92% waiting less than
39.6 weeks
Waiting under 18 weeks
62%
Waiting over a year
4,342

Waiting times by specialty

Specialty Area median England median Shortest in the area
General surgery 12.7 wks 12.8 wks Kims Hospital (Newnham Court) (5.5 wks)
Urology 10.0 wks 12.2 wks Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (8.4 wks)
Orthopaedics 13.5 wks 13.9 wks Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (7.2 wks)
Ear, nose and throat 17.4 wks 15.4 wks Benenden Hospital (7.7 wks)
Ophthalmology (eyes) 9.8 wks 10.4 wks Benenden Hospital (4.4 wks)
Oral surgery 25.8 wks 16.4 wks East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (25.8 wks)
Plastic surgery 13.5 wks 14.0 wks Cora Health Diagnostics (Formerly Healthshare Diagnostics) (13.1 wks)
Cardiothoracic surgery 4.9 wks 9.6 wks no provider with 50+ waiting
General medicine 11.7 wks 10.2 wks Medway NHS Foundation Trust (8.9 wks)
Gastroenterology 12.7 wks 11.0 wks Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - Gillingham (2.2 wks)
Cardiology (heart) 15.6 wks 11.9 wks Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (10.5 wks)
Dermatology (skin) 8.9 wks 10.5 wks Cora Health Diagnostics (Formerly Healthshare Diagnostics) (8.8 wks)
Respiratory medicine 16.4 wks 10.4 wks Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (11.4 wks)
Neurology 15.7 wks 13.2 wks East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (12.4 wks)
Rheumatology 23.4 wks 10.9 wks Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (4.5 wks)
Elderly medicine 7.0 wks 7.6 wks Medway NHS Foundation Trust (2.8 wks)
Gynaecology 14.6 wks 14.2 wks Kims Hospital (Newnham Court) (6.4 wks)
Other medical specialties 10.1 wks 10.7 wks Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (4.3 wks)
Other paediatric specialties 11.1 wks 12.3 wks Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust (4.3 wks)
Other surgical specialties 12.4 wks 11.4 wks Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (6.2 wks)
Other services 10.6 wks 8.7 wks Medway 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

  • Kent and Medway
  • England
Kent and Medway: median wait in weeks, Sep 2024 to Aug 2026The median wait fell from 14.4 weeks to 13.3 weeks between September 2024 and August 2026.05101520Feb 2025Aug 2025Feb 2026Aug 202613.3 wks
Show the figures
MonthKent and MedwayEngland
August 202613.312.2
July 202613.112
June 202612.811.9
May 202612.812.4
April 202612.111.9
March 202611.611.3
February 202613.813.2
January 202614.113.6
December 202513.913.5
November 202513.212.9
October 202513.713.3
September 202513.713.4
August 202513.813.5
July 202513.413.1
June 202513.613.4
May 202513.613.6
April 202513.113.3
March 202513.313.9
February 202514.114.2
January 202514.414.5
December 202414.414.2
November 202414.514
October 202414.414.2
September 202414.414.4

Hospitals and providers in Kent and Medway

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