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Countess of Chester Hospital waiting times

31,490 people were waiting for planned treatment at Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust at the end of September 2026. Half had waited more than 11.5 weeks, 0.7 weeks shorter than England's (12.2).

NHS waiting times · Cheshire and Merseyside · Countess of Chester Hospital

All specialties, September 2026

31,490

waiting

down 6,081 (16.2%) on a year earlier

11.5 wk

median wait

England 12.2

69.8%

under 18 weeks

England 65.9%

109

over a year

England 113,490

Waits by specialty

Every specialty with people waiting at Countess of Chester Hospital, beside England's median. Select a column heading to sort.

median wait, in weeks (scale 0 to 40)England's median for the same specialty

SpecialtyWaitingMedian wait, weeksAgainst England's medianUnder 18 weeksOver a year
All specialtiesEvery consultant-led specialty together31,49011.569.8%109
Trauma and orthopaedicsHip and knee replacements, shoulders, feet, hands and spines2,46311.771.2%0
Eyes (ophthalmology)Cataracts, glaucoma and other eye conditions3,06011.372.4%4
General surgeryHernias, gallbladders and other abdominal operations1,04812.167.8%1
GynaecologyHysterectomies, endometriosis, prolapse and other gynaecology2,67613.362.0%70
Ear, nose and throatTonsils, sinuses, ears and hearing2,95712.568.3%2
UrologyProstate, kidney stones and bladder1,2499.576.1%0
Oral surgeryWisdom teeth and other hospital dental surgery2,01419.047.7%1
Plastic surgeryReconstructive plastic surgery on the NHS, including hands and skin9166.977.6%5
DermatologySkin conditions2,46710.574.8%4
CardiologyHeart conditions9038.280.7%0
GastroenterologyStomach, bowel and liver conditions8599.588.9%1

The last 13 months

September 2025 to September 2026.

37,57131,490September 2025September 2026
People waiting at Countess of Chester Hospital, by monthLowest 30,603, highest 37,571. The scale starts near the lowest value.
The figures
MonthValue
September 202537,571
October 202536,726
November 202535,072
December 202533,921
January 202632,997
February 202632,838
March 202630,603
April 202631,892
May 202632,255
June 202632,730
July 202632,138
August 202631,910
September 202631,490
17.2 wk11.5 wkSeptember 2025September 2026
Median wait at Countess of Chester Hospital, weeksLowest 10.9 wk, highest 17.2 wk. The scale starts near the lowest value.
The figures
MonthValue
September 202517.2 wk
October 202517.0 wk
November 202516.5 wk
December 202516.1 wk
January 202615.6 wk
February 202614.2 wk
March 202610.9 wk
April 202611.5 wk
May 202612.3 wk
June 202611.6 wk
July 202611.2 wk
August 202611.4 wk
September 202611.5 wk
12.5 wk11.7 wkSeptember 2025September 2026
Orthopaedics median wait at Countess of Chester Hospital, weeksLowest 11.3 wk, highest 13.5 wk. The scale starts near the lowest value.
The figures
MonthValue
September 202512.5 wk
October 202512.1 wk
November 202512.1 wk
December 202512.6 wk
January 202612.2 wk
February 202613.1 wk
March 202611.3 wk
April 202613.2 wk
May 202613.5 wk
June 202612.9 wk
July 202611.7 wk
August 202611.4 wk
September 202611.7 wk
14.3 wk13.9 wkSeptember 2025September 2026
Orthopaedics median wait in England, weeksLowest 13.6 wk, highest 15.2 wk. The scale starts near the lowest value.
The figures
MonthValue
September 202514.3 wk
October 202514.4 wk
November 202514.3 wk
December 202514.7 wk
January 202615.2 wk
February 202615.0 wk
March 202614.5 wk
April 202613.9 wk
May 202614.2 wk
June 202613.8 wk
July 202613.6 wk
August 202613.9 wk
September 202613.9 wk

Waiting for an operation

A woman at her kitchen table reading a hospital appointment letter
Illustration

People admitted for orthopaedic treatment here in September 2026, which includes hip and knee replacements, had waited a median of 26.8 weeks from referral (England: 24.2).

People whose consultant has decided to admit them for treatment, usually an operation, and people admitted in September 2026 with how long they had waited.

SpecialtyWaiting to be admittedTheir median wait, weeksAdmitted for treatment this monthHalf had waited over, weeks92% within, weeks
All specialties3,29217.91,3219.051.2
Trauma and orthopaedics66722.613126.850.3
Eyes (ophthalmology)18122.511814.749.6
General surgery38321.211215.049.7
Gynaecology35729.1757.264.5
Ear, nose and throat27321.4727.043.2
Urology12912.41014.238.0
Oral surgery30432.010324.855.3
Plastic surgery3828.72763.835.0
Cardiology95.263.018.5
Gastroenterology1548.52911.827.7

Other trusts in Cheshire and Merseyside

You can often choose where you're referred. These are the other NHS trusts in the same area.

TrustWaitingMedian wait, weeksOrthopaedics median, weeks
Alder Hey Children's17,11612.3
Clatterbridge Cancer Centre8066.6
East Cheshire15,63813.414.0
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital5,1767.9
Liverpool University Hospitals62,79413.115.5
Liverpool Women's11,19412.7
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals86,20112.19.7
Mid Cheshire Hospitals31,45711.114.9
North Cheshire and Mersey35,31412.716.9
Walton Centre14,70311.1
Wirral University Teaching Hospital43,45011.914.1

Use these figures

Free to quote and reuse, for journalists, researchers and AI agents. Please credit "Thera Travel, from NHS England data" and link to theratravel.co.uk/nhs-waiting-times. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS England, Consultant-led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times. Open Government Licence v3.0.

This trust as JSON: /nhs-waiting-times/countess-of-chester-hospital.json. NHS England organisation code RJR.

Source: NHS England, Referral to Treatment waiting times, September 2026 (published November 2026). Next figures expected 10 December 2026. Journalists: press page.

Questions

How long is the wait at Countess of Chester Hospital?

At the end of September 2026, 31,490 people were waiting for planned treatment at Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Half had waited more than 11.5 weeks, against 12.2 weeks across England. 69.8% had waited under 18 weeks and 109 over a year. Source: NHS England.

How long is the orthopaedic wait at Countess of Chester Hospital?

In trauma and orthopaedics, which includes hip and knee replacements, 2,463 people were waiting at the end of September 2026, with a median wait so far of 11.7 weeks (England: 13.9). People admitted for treatment that month had waited a median of 26.8 weeks.

Where do these figures come from?

NHS England's referral-to-treatment statistics for September 2026, published November 2026. We update this page every month.

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