ShortestWait

NHS waiting times for December 2020

At the end of December 2020, 4.54 million people in England were waiting for consultant-led treatment. Half had waited less than 11.2 weeks, and 67.8% had waited under 18 weeks.

England Dec 2020 vs Nov 2020 vs Dec 2019
People waiting4,539,196 +59,685 +108,207
Median wait (weeks)11.2 +0.8 +2.9
92% within (weeks)47.4 +2.3 +22.5
Within 18 weeks67.8% −0.3 pts −15.8 pts
Waiting over a year224,803 +32,091 +223,201

Biggest changes since November 2020

Change in each provider's median wait across all specialties, among the 224 providers with at least 1,000 patients waiting in both months.

Shorter waits

  1. Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust −15.9 wks now 21.4
  2. Practice Plus Group Hospital - Shepton Mallet −11.8 wks now 24.7
  3. Practice Plus Group Hospital - Emersons Green −8.1 wks now 29.5
  4. Inhealth Limited −3.0 wks now 11.0
  5. Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust −2.8 wks now 13.3
  6. Highfield Hospital −0.8 wks now 11.0
  7. Somerset NHS Foundation Trust −0.7 wks now 12.3
  8. Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust −0.6 wks now 6.5
  9. Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust −0.6 wks now 16.0
  10. University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust −0.5 wks now 12.2

Longer waits

  1. Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust +3.6 wks now 9.4
  2. Spire Fylde Coast Hospital +3.6 wks now 41.8
  3. Spire London East +2.7 wks now 21.0
  4. Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - Gillingham +2.7 wks now 9.4
  5. Beaumont Hospital +2.6 wks now 9.0
  6. Spire Hull and East Riding Hospital +2.6 wks now 13.2
  7. Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - Devizes +2.5 wks now 40.5
  8. Three Shires Hospital +2.3 wks now 13.9
  9. Practice Plus Group Hospital - Plymouth +2.3 wks now 41.6
  10. Spire Liverpool Hospital +2.3 wks now 18.3

England by specialty

SpecialtyWaitingMedian waitvs Nov 2020Within 18 weeks
General surgery 378,976 11.9 wks +1.0 66%
Urology 262,965 11.7 wks +0.8 66%
Orthopaedics 576,925 14.7 wks +0.8 58%
Ear, nose and throat 358,610 14.9 wks +0.4 57%
Ophthalmology (eyes) 484,145 11.9 wks +0.8 66%
Oral surgery 163,726 14.7 wks −0.3 57%
Neurosurgery 40,837 12.4 wks +1.2 65%
Plastic surgery 63,158 14.2 wks +1.2 59%
Cardiothoracic surgery 8,721 10.1 wks +1.0 72%
General medicine 49,126 9.1 wks 0 75%
Gastroenterology 257,301 10.2 wks +0.6 73%
Cardiology (heart) 190,197 9.2 wks +0.8 77%
Dermatology (skin) 192,114 9.7 wks +1.0 75%
Respiratory medicine 89,874 8.5 wks +0.7 80%
Neurology 115,280 9.4 wks +0.9 77%
Rheumatology 78,560 8.5 wks +0.8 80%
Elderly medicine 15,370 6.7 wks +0.4 88%
Gynaecology 331,074 10.7 wks +1.0 71%
Other specialties (before April 2021) 882,237 9.2 wks +0.7 74%

Providers that did not report

These providers reported in November 2020 but not in December 2020. Usually this is a missed submission; sometimes a merger or a closed service.

Reporting for the first time