ShortestWait

NHS waiting times for May 2021

At the end of May 2021, 5.33 million people in England were waiting for consultant-led treatment. Half had waited less than 10.8 weeks, and 67.4% had waited under 18 weeks.

England May 2021 vs Apr 2021 vs May 2020
People waiting5,325,422 +181,936 +1,457,815
Median wait (weeks)10.8 −0.2 −4.5
92% within (weeks)45.4 −3.4 +11.0
Within 18 weeks67.4% +2.8 pts +5.2 pts
Waiting over a year338,498 −48,802 +311,378

Biggest changes since April 2021

Change in each provider's median wait across all specialties, among the 240 providers with at least 1,000 patients waiting in both months.

Shorter waits

  1. Duchy Hospital −23.8 wks now 5.7
  2. Practice Plus Group Hospital - Southampton −4.6 wks now 13.5
  3. Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust −2.9 wks now 14.2
  4. Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust −2.7 wks now 16.0
  5. Circle Bath Hospital −2.7 wks now 12.3
  6. Wye Valley NHS Trust −2.3 wks now 12.7
  7. Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust −2.1 wks now 16.5
  8. Spire Hartswood Hospital −1.9 wks now 17.5
  9. University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust −1.9 wks now 12.5
  10. United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust −1.7 wks now 13.1

Longer waits

  1. Spire Gatwick Park Hospital +3.4 wks now 14.5
  2. Spire Clare Park Hospital +3.2 wks now 12.2
  3. Spire Leeds Hospital +2.4 wks now 15.6
  4. Spire Alexandra Hospital +2.3 wks now 13.2
  5. Practice Plus Group Hospital - Plymouth +2.2 wks now 32.0
  6. Boston West Hospital +2.1 wks now 10.9
  7. Tees Valley Hospital +2.0 wks now 9.6
  8. Pinehill Hospital +1.9 wks now 9.3
  9. Blakelands Hospital +1.6 wks now 9.4
  10. Spire Little Aston Hospital +1.6 wks now 10.7

England by specialty

SpecialtyWaitingMedian waitvs Apr 2021Within 18 weeks
General surgery 385,621 12.5 wks −0.4 62%
Urology 294,656 12.3 wks −0.2 63%
Orthopaedics 652,998 14.5 wks −1.5 57%
Ear, nose and throat 413,272 14.2 wks −1.0 58%
Ophthalmology (eyes) 545,023 11.1 wks −0.5 65%
Oral surgery 223,524 14.0 wks −0.2 59%
Neurosurgery 45,621 13.5 wks −0.3 61%
Plastic surgery 71,733 13.5 wks −1.6 57%
Cardiothoracic surgery 10,912 10.8 wks −0.5 67%
General medicine 45,412 8.5 wks +0.1 79%
Gastroenterology 297,809 10.5 wks +0.3 71%
Cardiology (heart) 232,366 8.7 wks +0.2 79%
Dermatology (skin) 238,346 7.7 wks 0 77%
Respiratory medicine 112,619 8.1 wks −0.1 80%
Neurology 136,098 9.2 wks +0.3 76%
Rheumatology 100,132 8.3 wks −0.1 79%
Elderly medicine 17,370 5.6 wks −0.3 88%
Gynaecology 393,777 11.4 wks +0.2 67%
Other medical specialties 376,807 7.7 wks −0.1 80%
Other mental health 15,320 6.5 wks −0.8 85%
Other paediatric specialties 258,053 9.7 wks −0.2 72%
Other surgical specialties 317,082 10.8 wks +0.2 67%
Other services 140,871 6.7 wks 0 82%

Providers that did not report

These providers reported in April 2021 but not in May 2021. Usually this is a missed submission; sometimes a merger or a closed service.

Reporting for the first time