ShortestWait

NHS waiting times for December 2025

At the end of December 2025, 7.23 million people in England were waiting for consultant-led treatment. Half had waited less than 13.5 weeks, and 61.4% had waited under 18 weeks.

England Dec 2025 vs Nov 2025 vs Dec 2024
People waiting7,231,880 +40,570 −262,421
Median wait (weeks)13.5 +0.6 −0.8
92% within (weeks)40.8 +0.4 −1.9
Within 18 weeks61.4% −0.2 pts +2.5 pts
Waiting over a year142,204 −15,506 −60,819

Biggest changes since November 2025

Change in each provider's median wait across all specialties, among the 259 providers with at least 1,000 patients waiting in both months.

Shorter waits

  1. Practice Plus Group Hospital - Plymouth −4.2 wks now 8.7
  2. Spire London East −1.6 wks now 13.4
  3. Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust −0.6 wks now 15.4
  4. Liverpool Women'S NHS Foundation Trust −0.5 wks now 18.1
  5. Winfield Hospital −0.5 wks now 12.4
  6. Stockport NHS Foundation Trust −0.5 wks now 14.5
  7. Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust −0.5 wks now 15.4
  8. Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust −0.4 wks now 10.3
  9. Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust −0.4 wks now 15.9
  10. London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust −0.4 wks now 14.3

Longer waits

  1. Oviva UK Ltd +4.3 wks now 14.9
  2. Anglia Community Eye Service Ltd +2.5 wks now 6.2
  3. Nuffield Health, North Staffordshire Hospital +2.5 wks now 11.2
  4. Spire Leicester Hospital +2.4 wks now 11.6
  5. Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust +2.4 wks now 11.2
  6. Communitas Clinics +2.4 wks now 12.0
  7. Newmedica - Teesside - North Ormesby +2.4 wks now 7.0
  8. Oaklands Hospital +2.3 wks now 12.3
  9. Boston West Hospital +2.3 wks now 12.7
  10. Newmedica - Hampshire +2.2 wks now 11.4

England by specialty

SpecialtyWaitingMedian waitvs Nov 2025Within 18 weeks
General surgery 386,066 14.0 wks +0.8 60%
Urology 391,331 12.9 wks +0.3 63%
Orthopaedics 853,046 14.8 wks +0.5 58%
Ear, nose and throat 591,034 16.9 wks −0.1 52%
Ophthalmology (eyes) 603,289 10.9 wks +0.9 70%
Oral surgery 318,622 17.1 wks −0.1 52%
Neurosurgery 59,391 14.0 wks +0.4 61%
Plastic surgery 105,324 15.8 wks +0.7 55%
Cardiothoracic surgery 9,392 10.1 wks +0.2 72%
General medicine 37,148 12.0 wks +1.0 68%
Gastroenterology 381,906 12.5 wks +0.5 65%
Cardiology (heart) 388,079 13.0 wks +0.3 63%
Dermatology (skin) 405,659 13.9 wks +1.0 60%
Respiratory medicine 184,992 11.5 wks +0.1 68%
Neurology 222,750 15.2 wks +0.2 57%
Rheumatology 117,989 11.9 wks +0.4 67%
Elderly medicine 26,735 8.4 wks +0.6 81%
Gynaecology 572,008 15.1 wks +0.3 57%
Other medical specialties 621,799 11.8 wks +0.4 66%
Other mental health 2,791 9.9 wks +0.6 73%
Other paediatric specialties 318,140 13.0 wks +0.2 62%
Other surgical specialties 481,435 12.9 wks +0.7 62%
Other services 152,954 9.3 wks +0.5 75%

Providers that did not report

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

Reporting for the first time