ShortestWait

NHS waiting times for September 2025

At the end of September 2025, 7.33 million people in England were waiting for consultant-led treatment. Half had waited less than 13.4 weeks, and 61.7% had waited under 18 weeks.

England Sep 2025 vs Aug 2025 vs Sep 2024
People waiting7,329,574 −15,970 −273,457
Median wait (weeks)13.4 −0.1 −1.0
92% within (weeks)41.9 −0.3 −1.9
Within 18 weeks61.7% +0.8 pts +3.2 pts
Waiting over a year181,947 −10,077 −69,657

Biggest changes since August 2025

Change in each provider's median wait across all specialties, among the 254 providers with at least 1,000 patients waiting in both months.

Shorter waits

  1. Dmc Healthcare −2.4 wks now 4.3
  2. Nuffield Health, Leeds Hospital −2.1 wks now 14.6
  3. Spire Liverpool Hospital −2.1 wks now 7.6
  4. London Independent Hospital −1.8 wks now 7.6
  5. St Michael'S Clinic Limited −1.8 wks now 16.1
  6. Nuffield Health, Tees Hospital −1.7 wks now 8.6
  7. Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust −1.6 wks now 17.2
  8. The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust −1.6 wks now 14.2
  9. Nuffield Health, Derby Hospital −1.4 wks now 16.6
  10. South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust −1.3 wks now 5.0

Longer waits

  1. Pioneer Healthcare Limited +3.7 wks now 34.1
  2. Practice Plus Group Hospital - Plymouth +2.1 wks now 9.8
  3. Communitas Clinics +2.0 wks now 20.5
  4. Hcrg Care Dermatology the Ironstone Centre +2.0 wks now 5.9
  5. Cora Health Diagnostics (Formerly Healthshare Diagnostics) +1.9 wks now 12.4
  6. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King'S Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust +1.7 wks now 15.8
  7. East Cheshire NHS Trust +1.6 wks now 15.7
  8. Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust +1.6 wks now 16.8
  9. Spire Manchester Hospital +1.5 wks now 12.9
  10. Newmedica - Norwich +1.4 wks now 6.3

England by specialty

SpecialtyWaitingMedian waitvs Aug 2025Within 18 weeks
General surgery 394,291 13.4 wks −0.1 62%
Urology 389,179 13.4 wks −0.4 61%
Orthopaedics 869,508 14.3 wks −0.2 59%
Ear, nose and throat 619,049 17.5 wks −0.4 51%
Ophthalmology (eyes) 591,922 10.5 wks −0.2 71%
Oral surgery 319,102 17.6 wks −0.2 51%
Neurosurgery 58,489 13.8 wks −0.6 61%
Plastic surgery 105,055 14.3 wks −0.1 59%
Cardiothoracic surgery 9,269 10.8 wks −0.1 70%
General medicine 35,445 11.2 wks 0 69%
Gastroenterology 380,312 12.3 wks −0.1 65%
Cardiology (heart) 389,813 13.3 wks −0.3 62%
Dermatology (skin) 436,966 12.3 wks +0.4 64%
Respiratory medicine 192,497 12.2 wks 0 66%
Neurology 222,324 15.2 wks −0.2 57%
Rheumatology 122,697 11.8 wks +0.1 67%
Elderly medicine 26,079 7.7 wks +0.2 84%
Gynaecology 576,885 15.1 wks −0.2 57%
Other medical specialties 637,259 11.8 wks +0.2 67%
Other mental health 2,676 12.3 wks +1.5 67%
Other paediatric specialties 322,730 13.9 wks 0 61%
Other surgical specialties 477,059 12.6 wks +0.1 63%
Other services 150,968 9.0 wks −0.2 75%

Providers that did not report

These providers reported in August 2025 but not in September 2025. Usually this is a missed submission; sometimes a merger or a closed service.

Reporting for the first time