ShortestWait

NHS waiting times for January 2026

At the end of January 2026, 7.19 million people in England were waiting for consultant-led treatment. Half had waited less than 13.6 weeks, and 61.4% had waited under 18 weeks.

England Jan 2026 vs Dec 2025 vs Jan 2025
People waiting7,187,677 −44,203 −270,735
Median wait (weeks)13.6 +0.2 −0.8
92% within (weeks)40.4 −0.4 −2.0
Within 18 weeks61.4% 0 pts +2.6 pts
Waiting over a year137,320 −4,884 −64,043

Biggest changes since December 2025

Change in each provider's median wait across all specialties, among the 258 providers with at least 1,000 patients waiting in both months.

Shorter waits

  1. Duchy Hospital −2.8 wks now 17.2
  2. Practice Plus Group Ophthalmology - North West −2.3 wks now 13.5
  3. Spire Wellesley Hospital −2.2 wks now 16.9
  4. The Berkshire Independent Hospital −2.0 wks now 9.1
  5. Dmc Healthcare −1.9 wks now 2.4
  6. Practice Plus Group Hospital - Plymouth −1.7 wks now 7.0
  7. East Cheshire NHS Trust −1.7 wks now 18.0
  8. Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - St Marys Portsmouth −1.5 wks now 4.0
  9. Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust −1.5 wks now 14.2
  10. Communitas Clinics −1.4 wks now 10.5

Longer waits

  1. Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust +8.3 wks now 19.4
  2. Nuffield Health, North Staffordshire Hospital +4.1 wks now 15.3
  3. The Hamptons Hospital Ltd +3.2 wks now 20.5
  4. Cora Health Diagnostics (Formerly Healthshare Diagnostics) +2.8 wks now 17.6
  5. Newmedica - Berkshire +2.3 wks now 10.9
  6. Spire Leicester Hospital +2.1 wks now 13.6
  7. Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust +1.8 wks now 13.4
  8. Renacres Hospital +1.8 wks now 14.4
  9. Boston West Hospital +1.8 wks now 14.5
  10. Alexandra Hospital +1.7 wks now 14.2

England by specialty

SpecialtyWaitingMedian waitvs Dec 2025Within 18 weeks
General surgery 386,565 14.2 wks +0.2 60%
Urology 390,044 13.1 wks +0.2 63%
Orthopaedics 845,246 15.2 wks +0.4 58%
Ear, nose and throat 589,045 16.6 wks −0.3 53%
Ophthalmology (eyes) 598,650 11.4 wks +0.4 70%
Oral surgery 318,440 17.0 wks −0.1 52%
Neurosurgery 58,192 14.3 wks +0.3 60%
Plastic surgery 104,152 16.3 wks +0.5 54%
Cardiothoracic surgery 9,293 11.0 wks +0.9 71%
General medicine 37,048 11.9 wks −0.1 67%
Gastroenterology 383,697 12.6 wks +0.2 65%
Cardiology (heart) 385,038 12.9 wks −0.1 64%
Dermatology (skin) 396,831 14.0 wks +0.1 60%
Respiratory medicine 185,422 11.2 wks −0.3 69%
Neurology 219,187 15.4 wks +0.2 57%
Rheumatology 116,258 12.2 wks +0.2 66%
Elderly medicine 26,371 8.7 wks +0.3 79%
Gynaecology 566,350 15.3 wks +0.3 57%
Other medical specialties 618,094 12.0 wks +0.2 66%
Other mental health 2,981 9.3 wks −0.6 77%
Other paediatric specialties 316,214 12.9 wks 0 63%
Other surgical specialties 483,202 13.0 wks +0.1 62%
Other services 151,357 9.7 wks +0.4 74%

Reporting for the first time