Ear, nose and throat waiting times by trust

Tonsils, sinuses, ears and hearing. 577,764 people were waiting in England at the end of September 2026, with a median wait so far of 15.3 weeks. Every NHS trust, shortest median wait first.

NHS waiting times · Ear, nose and throat

England, September 2026

577,764

waiting in England

down 41,285 (6.7%) on a year earlier

15.3 wk

median wait so far

down 2.2 weeks on a year earlier

57.1%

under 18 weeks

25.0 wk

median wait of people admitted

in September 2026

Every NHS trust

110 trusts with at least 50 people waiting, shortest median wait first. Select a column heading to sort.

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

Trust	Waiting	Median wait, weeks	Under 18 weeks	Over a year
King's College HospitalSouth East London	967	5.2	94.3%	2
Queen Victoria HospitalSurrey and Sussex	146	6.6	78.8%	3
East Lancashire HospitalsLancashire and South Cumbria	3,330	7.4	80.3%	0
South Tyneside and SunderlandNorth East and North Cumbria	4,817	9.0	82.0%	0
Isle of WightHampshire and Isle of Wight	779	9.6	73.2%	0
Royal Cornwall HospitalsCornwall and the Isles of Scilly	3,326	10.6	71.8%	1
Norfolk and Norwich University HospitalsNorfolk and Suffolk	4,442	10.9	65.2%	75
Royal BerkshireThames Valley	2,817	10.9	76.4%	6
AiredaleWest Yorkshire	1,174	11.1	72.1%	0
Newcastle upon Tyne HospitalsNorth East and North Cumbria	8,811	11.1	72.4%	11
RotherhamSouth Yorkshire	2,440	11.1	69.1%	38
University Hospitals of Morecambe BayLancashire and South Cumbria	3,668	11.2	71.3%	73
Chesterfield Royal HospitalDerby and Derbyshire	2,464	11.3	71.0%	13
Homerton HealthcareNorth East London	2,663	11.4	68.0%	28
Epsom and St Helier University HospitalsSouth West London	2,380	11.5	72.3%	4
University Hospitals BirminghamBirmingham and Solihull	9,033	11.6	71.0%	74
East CheshireCheshire and Merseyside	1,361	11.7	70.7%	11
Tameside and Glossop Integrated CareGreater Manchester	1,463	11.9	67.8%	0
Blackpool Teaching HospitalsLancashire and South Cumbria	3,610	12.0	68.0%	10
MedwayKent and Medway	4,694	12.2	70.0%	0
County Durham and DarlingtonNorth East and North Cumbria	3,991	12.3	69.6%	1
Countess of Chester HospitalCheshire and Merseyside	2,957	12.5	68.3%	2
Lancashire Teaching HospitalsLancashire and South Cumbria	3,423	12.6	65.5%	7
Walsall HealthcareBlack Country	2,777	12.6	67.8%	0
BristolBristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire	5,680	12.7	64.2%	0
Guy's and St Thomas'South East London	5,390	12.8	65.4%	41
Hampshire HospitalsHampshire and Isle of Wight	3,340	12.8	64.1%	49
London North West University HealthcareWest and North London	8,033	12.8	66.0%	224
Princess Alexandra HospitalEssex	3,380	12.8	67.8%	18
Sherwood Forest HospitalsNottingham and Nottinghamshire	3,458	12.9	63.0%	60
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's LynnNorfolk and Suffolk	2,317	13.0	62.8%	14
Frimley HealthSurrey and Sussex	5,478	13.3	62.9%	61
North Cumbria Integrated CareNorth East and North Cumbria	3,554	13.4	62.7%	3
University College London HospitalsWest and North London	7,914	13.4	61.7%	28
West SuffolkNorfolk and Suffolk	3,093	13.4	63.4%	18
Calderdale and HuddersfieldWest Yorkshire	5,293	13.6	63.8%	8
Imperial College HealthcareWest and North London	7,831	13.6	61.6%	3
Bradford Teaching HospitalsWest Yorkshire	3,460	14.0	61.0%	1
Buckinghamshire HealthcareThames Valley	4,396	14.0	64.2%	0
Dorset County HospitalDorset	2,537	14.0	61.4%	29
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University HospitalsNorth East London	3,903	14.1	61.1%	135
Kingston and RichmondSouth West London	4,138	14.1	62.7%	22
Barnsley HospitalSouth Yorkshire	3,340	14.2	61.7%	12
East Sussex HealthcareSurrey and Sussex	5,346	14.3	60.3%	0
Manchester UniversityGreater Manchester	9,238	14.3	59.5%	43
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching HospitalsCheshire and Merseyside	8,036	14.4	58.2%	174
Mid Cheshire HospitalsCheshire and Merseyside	4,851	14.4	60.1%	1
Shrewsbury and Telford HospitalShropshire, Telford and Wrekin	4,471	14.4	59.3%	0
StockportGreater Manchester	3,894	14.5	60.5%	3
Surrey and Sussex HealthcareSurrey and Sussex	5,544	14.6	59.2%	121
Royal SurreySurrey and Sussex	3,171	14.7	60.0%	14
Leeds Teaching HospitalsWest Yorkshire	3,277	14.8	55.9%	190
Ashford and St Peter's HospitalsSurrey and Sussex	4,253	15.0	59.2%	130
Harrogate and DistrictHumber and North Yorkshire	2,953	15.0	57.8%	0
Northern Lincolnshire and GooleHumber and North Yorkshire	5,887	15.1	56.9%	251
University Hospitals of North MidlandsStaffordshire and Stoke-On-Trent	4,123	15.1	55.7%	255
South Warwickshire UniversityCoventry and Warwickshire	3,672	15.2	58.8%	14
Great Western HospitalsBath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire	3,401	15.3	57.3%	161
Cambridge University HospitalsCentral East	3,565	15.4	55.7%	119
Mid Yorkshire TeachingWest Yorkshire	7,339	15.4	56.0%	37
University Hospital SouthamptonHampshire and Isle of Wight	1,622	15.4	56.2%	122
St George's University HospitalsSouth West London	5,145	15.5	57.2%	13
Wye ValleyHerefordshire and Worcestershire	2,446	15.6	56.7%	27
SalisburyBath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire	3,179	15.7	56.7%	22
Kettering General HospitalNorthamptonshire	3,024	15.8	58.8%	13
Gloucestershire HospitalsGloucestershire	5,673	16.0	56.0%	1
University Hospitals DorsetDorset	5,845	16.0	56.6%	11
Croydon Health ServicesSouth West London	1,982	16.1	54.3%	97
Portsmouth Hospitals UniversityHampshire and Isle of Wight	7,157	16.2	55.3%	281
Barts HealthNorth East London	5,782	16.3	53.4%	257
South Tees HospitalsNorth East and North Cumbria	6,929	16.3	54.8%	62
North Cheshire and MerseyCheshire and Merseyside	3,740	16.4	53.5%	65
Royal United Hospitals BathBath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire	3,688	16.4	54.8%	36
York and Scarborough Teaching HospitalsHumber and North Yorkshire	7,492	16.4	53.8%	97
Northern Care AllianceGreater Manchester	9,763	16.5	53.3%	340
Royal Free LondonWest and North London	8,535	16.5	54.6%	115
BoltonGreater Manchester	4,189	16.6	53.1%	53
East and North Hertfordshire TeachingCentral East	6,247	16.6	53.3%	90
Oxford University HospitalsThames Valley	7,401	16.7	52.7%	189
Royal Devon University HealthcareDevon	4,865	16.7	52.8%	108
North West AngliaCentral East	7,293	16.8	52.4%	46
Royal WolverhamptonBlack Country	6,264	16.8	53.0%	109
Shropshire Community HealthShropshire, Telford and Wrekin	321	16.8	55.8%	0
SomersetSomerset	4,725	16.8	52.7%	189
University Hospitals of Derby and BurtonDerby and Derbyshire	10,208	17.0	52.3%	223
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching HospitalsSouth Yorkshire	6,867	17.3	51.7%	277
East Suffolk and North EssexEssex	10,571	17.3	52.0%	22
Hillingdon HospitalsWest and North London	3,720	17.3	52.0%	61
Bedfordshire HospitalsCentral East	8,732	17.6	51.4%	290
Dudley GroupBlack Country	5,027	17.6	50.9%	0
Chelsea and Westminster HospitalWest and North London	5,469	17.7	50.8%	82
University Hospitals of LeicesterLeicester, Leicestershire and Rutland	7,038	17.7	50.8%	213
Wirral University Teaching HospitalCheshire and Merseyside	4,008	17.7	50.6%	7
West Hertfordshire Teaching HospitalsCentral East	2,912	17.8	50.6%	128
Maidstone and Tunbridge WellsKent and Medway	6,025	17.9	50.2%	6
Lewisham and GreenwichSouth East London	7,992	18.5	48.9%	140
Whittington HealthWest and North London	2,761	18.6	48.6%	0
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching HospitalsGreater Manchester	4,639	18.6	48.6%	87
Liverpool University HospitalsCheshire and Merseyside	5,471	19.1	48.1%	194
Hull University Teaching HospitalsHumber and North Yorkshire	6,540	19.2	47.4%	230
Worcestershire Acute HospitalsHerefordshire and Worcestershire	8,138	19.2	47.7%	252
United Lincolnshire Teaching HospitalsLincolnshire	9,687	20.1	46.2%	86
University Hospitals SussexSurrey and Sussex	8,133	21.0	44.2%	344
Milton Keynes University HospitalCentral East	5,003	21.1	42.7%	103
University Hospitals Coventry and WarwickshireCoventry and Warwickshire	8,246	21.2	43.0%	258
East Kent Hospitals UniversityKent and Medway	9,626	21.6	42.3%	242
James Paget University HospitalsNorfolk and Suffolk	3,277	22.0	40.3%	275
Mid and South EssexEssex	12,960	22.8	42.3%	2,011
George Eliot HospitalCoventry and Warwickshire	2,187	23.2	39.8%	33
Sandwell and West Birmingham HospitalsBlack Country	7,097	23.8	38.7%	268

The last 13 months in England

September 2025 to September 2026.

People waiting for ear, nose and throat in EnglandLowest 577,764, highest 619,049. The scale starts near the lowest value.

The figures

Month	Value
September 2025	619,049
October 2025	615,457
November 2025	589,891
December 2025	591,034
January 2026	589,045
February 2026	587,637
March 2026	580,054
April 2026	589,187
May 2026	595,204
June 2026	595,473
July 2026	594,940
August 2026	590,233
September 2026	577,764

Median wait for ear, nose and throat in England, weeksLowest 14.1 wk, highest 17.5 wk. The scale starts near the lowest value.

The figures

Month	Value
September 2025	17.5 wk
October 2025	17.4 wk
November 2025	17.1 wk
December 2025	16.9 wk
January 2026	16.6 wk
February 2026	15.8 wk
March 2026	14.6 wk
April 2026	14.1 wk
May 2026	14.8 wk
June 2026	14.7 wk
July 2026	14.8 wk
August 2026	15.4 wk
September 2026	15.3 wk

Independent hospitals on the NHS

Some independent hospitals treat NHS patients, free to the patient, and you may be able to choose one when you're referred. These are the 25 with the most NHS patients waiting for ear, nose and throat.

Hospital or provider	NHS patients waiting	Median wait, weeks	Under 18 weeks
Omnes Healthcare LtdGreater Manchester	12,165	20.6	44.1%
Communitas ClinicsSouth West London	5,084	12.5	76.6%
Beacon Medical Services Group LimitedGreater Manchester	3,780	5.6	92.6%
Practice Plus Group Hospital - SouthamptonHampshire and Isle of Wight	1,362	27.0	16.1%
Inhealth LimitedThames Valley	1,043	6.2	88.8%
Buckshaw HospitalLancashire and South Cumbria	856	11.6	72.5%
Clementine Churchill HospitalWest and North London	807	8.1	97.4%
Nuffield Health the Holly HospitalEssex	741	14.6	53.2%
Springfield HospitalEssex	736	13.1	63.9%
Sulis Hospital Bath (Foxcote Avenue)Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire	679	19.3	45.2%
The Yorkshire ClinicWest Yorkshire	649	8.8	76.1%
Dorking Healthcare Limited (Dhc)Surrey and Sussex	525	10.2	66.1%
The Living Care GroupWest Yorkshire	502	1.0	100.0%
Nuffield Health, Brentwood HospitalEssex	459	28.9	32.9%
Spire Liverpool HospitalCheshire and Merseyside	436	6.0	98.6%
Spencer Private Hospitals LtdKent and Medway	432	10.9	68.1%
Nuffield Health Highgate HospitalWest and North London	399	10.0	74.9%
Modality LlpBlack Country	350	9.7	70.3%
Ppg Hospitals - IlfordNorth East London	286	7.1	85.0%
The Hamptons Hospital LtdCentral East	253	6.1	87.7%
Epsomedical GroupSurrey and Sussex	227	3.0	95.6%
Woodlands HospitalNorth East and North Cumbria	224	9.2	81.7%
Beaumont HospitalGreater Manchester	221	11.6	66.5%
Rsa (Athena Surgical Centre)Central East	211	4.0	100.0%
Practice Plus Group Hospital - Shepton MalletSomerset	211	13.2	66.8%

By area

NHS integrated care board areas, by where the hospital trust is.

Area	Waiting	Median wait, weeks	Under 18 weeks	Over a year
Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire	11,039	16.0	55.7%	219
Birmingham and Solihull	9,033	11.6	71.0%	74
Black Country	21,515	18.0	50.0%	382
Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire	5,885	12.4	65.2%	0
Central East	34,476	17.3	51.7%	780
Cheshire and Merseyside	31,182	14.9	57.6%	454
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly	3,326	10.6	71.8%	1
Coventry and Warwickshire	14,105	19.5	46.6%	305
Derby and Derbyshire	12,672	15.7	56.0%	236
Devon	4,865	16.7	52.8%	108
Dorset	8,382	15.5	58.0%	40
Essex	28,887	18.4	49.4%	2,129
Gloucestershire	5,677	16.0	56.0%	1
Greater Manchester	49,352	15.6	55.8%	1,129
Hampshire and Isle of Wight	14,665	16.1	55.3%	476
Herefordshire and Worcestershire	10,645	18.0	50.0%	279
Humber and North Yorkshire	23,002	16.5	53.3%	578
Kent and Medway	20,940	17.4	51.6%	254
Lancashire and South Cumbria	15,277	10.6	71.6%	90
Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland	7,038	17.7	50.8%	213
Lincolnshire	9,687	20.1	46.2%	86
Norfolk and Suffolk	13,129	14.4	58.1%	382
North East London	12,634	14.0	59.6%	423
North East and North Cumbria	28,355	12.2	68.1%	77
Northamptonshire	3,024	15.8	58.8%	13
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire	3,458	12.9	63.0%	60
Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin	4,792	14.6	59.1%	0
Somerset	4,936	16.5	53.3%	195
South East London	14,349	14.9	58.2%	183
South West London	18,806	13.5	65.4%	143
South Yorkshire	12,835	14.9	57.7%	327
Staffordshire and Stoke-On-Trent	4,123	15.1	55.7%	255
Surrey and Sussex	32,823	15.4	56.8%	676
Thames Valley	15,674	13.5	62.6%	195
West Yorkshire	21,694	13.7	61.2%	239
West and North London	45,482	14.8	59.0%	514

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.

All figures as JSON (England, every specialty, area and trust)
All figures as CSV (one row per hospital trust or provider and specialty)
A plain-text summary in Markdown, for AI assistants
One trust: /nhs-waiting-times/<trust>.json, the trust list is in the JSON above

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 NHS wait for ear, nose and throat?

At the end of September 2026, 577,764 people were waiting for ear, nose and throat in England. Half had waited more than 15.3 weeks so far, 57.1% under 18 weeks and 11,516 over a year. People admitted for treatment that month had waited a median of 25.0 weeks. Source: NHS England.

Which hospital trusts have the shortest ear, nose and throat waits?

In September 2026, the shortest median waits among trusts with at least 50 people waiting were at King's College Hospital (5.2 weeks), Queen Victoria Hospital (6.6 weeks), East Lancashire Hospitals (7.4 weeks). The table on this page lists every trust.

Can I choose a hospital with a shorter wait?

The NHS says you should be offered a choice at the point of referral, and in many cases you can choose the hospital or service, including some independent hospitals that treat NHS patients. See "Your choices in the NHS" and ask your GP.

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If you're weighing up treatment abroad, tell us what you're looking into. We send your enquiry to relevant, pre-vetted clinics, and up to 3 that can help contact you directly.

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