ShortestWait

NHS waiting times for March 2026

At the end of March 2026, 7.05 million people in England were waiting for consultant-led treatment. Half had waited less than 11.3 weeks, and 65.2% had waited under 18 weeks.

England Mar 2026 vs Feb 2026 vs Mar 2025
People waiting7,045,510 −110,702 −403,960
Median wait (weeks)11.3 −1.8 −2.5
92% within (weeks)38.4 −1.1 −3.5
Within 18 weeks65.2% +2.7 pts +5.5 pts
Waiting over a year95,824 −28,456 −86,748

Biggest changes since February 2026

Change in each provider's median wait across all specialties, among the 257 providers with at least 1,000 patients waiting in both months.

Shorter waits

  1. Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust −5.8 wks now 13.4
  2. Newmedica Community Ophthalmology - North East Lincolnshire - Grimsby −3.9 wks now 9.7
  3. Whittington Health NHS Trust −3.8 wks now 9.7
  4. Liverpool Women'S NHS Foundation Trust −3.5 wks now 14.1
  5. Spire Fylde Coast Hospital −3.4 wks now 9.2
  6. Blackheath Hospital −3.4 wks now 9.3
  7. The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust −3.4 wks now 10.4
  8. Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust −3.4 wks now 10.9
  9. Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust −3.4 wks now 10.9
  10. Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust −3.3 wks now 11.8

Longer waits

  1. Spire Leicester Hospital +2.6 wks now 16.6
  2. Lincoln Private Hospital +2.4 wks now 15.2
  3. Nuffield Health, North Staffordshire Hospital +2.3 wks now 18.3
  4. Renacres Hospital +2.2 wks now 17.9
  5. Beacon Park Hospital +2.1 wks now 14.4
  6. Hcrg Care Dermatology the Ironstone Centre +2.0 wks now 6.6
  7. Spire Little Aston Hospital +2.0 wks now 13.5
  8. Practice Plus Group Ophthalmology - North West +1.6 wks now 8.2
  9. Claremont Private Hospital +1.5 wks now 14.8
  10. Newmedica - Northampton +1.3 wks now 7.7

England by specialty

SpecialtyWaitingMedian waitvs Feb 2026Within 18 weeks
General surgery 376,693 12.1 wks −1.8 63%
Urology 378,188 11.4 wks −1.3 66%
Orthopaedics 826,172 14.6 wks −0.5 59%
Ear, nose and throat 580,054 14.6 wks −1.3 58%
Ophthalmology (eyes) 603,966 9.1 wks −1.8 73%
Oral surgery 320,612 15.9 wks −0.6 56%
Neurosurgery 56,423 12.7 wks −1.4 62%
Plastic surgery 101,370 15.2 wks −0.7 57%
Cardiothoracic surgery 9,135 9.6 wks −1.5 73%
General medicine 37,173 9.8 wks −1.6 72%
Gastroenterology 366,951 10.4 wks −1.8 70%
Cardiology (heart) 375,773 10.7 wks −1.7 69%
Dermatology (skin) 372,060 10.9 wks −2.5 65%
Respiratory medicine 183,922 9.0 wks −1.5 75%
Neurology 208,673 13.8 wks −1.2 61%
Rheumatology 112,400 9.9 wks −1.8 70%
Elderly medicine 26,038 7.2 wks −0.2 83%
Gynaecology 555,528 13.4 wks −1.4 61%
Other medical specialties 614,175 9.8 wks −1.8 71%
Other mental health 3,178 8.2 wks +0.3 82%
Other paediatric specialties 316,520 10.6 wks −1.8 68%
Other surgical specialties 467,771 10.7 wks −1.8 66%
Other services 152,735 7.9 wks −0.6 77%

Providers that did not report

These providers reported in February 2026 but not in March 2026. Usually this is a missed submission; sometimes a merger or a closed service.

Reporting for the first time