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Royal Cornwall Hospitals waiting times

45,093 people were waiting for planned treatment at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust at the end of September 2026. Half had waited more than 10.0 weeks, 2.2 weeks shorter than England's (12.2).

NHS waiting times · Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly · Royal Cornwall Hospitals

All specialties, September 2026

45,093

waiting

up 4,598 (11.4%) on a year earlier

10.0 wk

median wait

England 12.2

71.8%

under 18 weeks

England 65.9%

419

over a year

England 113,490

Waits by specialty

Every specialty with people waiting at Royal Cornwall Hospitals, 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 together45,09310.071.8%419
Trauma and orthopaedicsHip and knee replacements, shoulders, feet, hands and spines5,65918.449.1%321
Eyes (ophthalmology)Cataracts, glaucoma and other eye conditions4,1727.880.5%2
General surgeryHernias, gallbladders and other abdominal operations1,93314.757.4%24
GynaecologyHysterectomies, endometriosis, prolapse and other gynaecology3,68713.760.2%27
Ear, nose and throatTonsils, sinuses, ears and hearing3,32610.671.8%1
UrologyProstate, kidney stones and bladder1,95613.262.6%1
Oral surgeryWisdom teeth and other hospital dental surgery2,6579.576.9%7
DermatologySkin conditions4,4697.978.1%1
CardiologyHeart conditions2,40614.261.4%16
GastroenterologyStomach, bowel and liver conditions2,0825.882.0%0

The last 13 months

September 2025 to September 2026.

40,49545,093September 2025September 2026
People waiting at Royal Cornwall Hospitals, by monthLowest 40,495, highest 45,093. The scale starts near the lowest value.
The figures
MonthValue
September 202540,495
October 202540,754
November 202540,995
December 202541,199
January 202640,924
February 202640,844
March 202641,862
April 202642,102
May 202642,577
June 202643,280
July 202644,275
August 202645,002
September 202645,093
10.0 wk10.0 wkSeptember 2025September 2026
Median wait at Royal Cornwall Hospitals, weeksLowest 8.5 wk, highest 10.0 wk. The scale starts near the lowest value.
The figures
MonthValue
September 202510.0 wk
October 20259.3 wk
November 20258.8 wk
December 20259.5 wk
January 20269.8 wk
February 20269.7 wk
March 20268.5 wk
April 20268.7 wk
May 20269.3 wk
June 20268.8 wk
July 20268.9 wk
August 20269.7 wk
September 202610.0 wk
16.6 wk18.4 wkSeptember 2025September 2026
Orthopaedics median wait at Royal Cornwall Hospitals, weeksLowest 16.6 wk, highest 18.7 wk. The scale starts near the lowest value.
The figures
MonthValue
September 202516.6 wk
October 202517.0 wk
November 202517.2 wk
December 202517.8 wk
January 202618.2 wk
February 202618.7 wk
March 202618.4 wk
April 202618.6 wk
May 202618.6 wk
June 202618.5 wk
July 202618.1 wk
August 202618.0 wk
September 202618.4 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 39.7 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 specialties10,20416.42,35410.751.9
Trauma and orthopaedics2,83123.334939.766.0
Eyes (ophthalmology)1,35214.227320.749.1
General surgery52119.110221.056.3
Gynaecology63026.78525.555.2
Ear, nose and throat57719.811425.249.0
Urology43810.41629.347.8
Oral surgery85415.923222.345.4
Dermatology1,46610.34255.317.0
Cardiology789.0233.816.6

Other trusts in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

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

TrustWaitingMedian wait, weeksOrthopaedics median, weeks
Cornwall Partnership8556.84.0

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/royal-cornwall-hospitals.json. NHS England organisation code REF.

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 Royal Cornwall Hospitals?

At the end of September 2026, 45,093 people were waiting for planned treatment at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust. Half had waited more than 10.0 weeks, against 12.2 weeks across England. 71.8% had waited under 18 weeks and 419 over a year. Source: NHS England.

How long is the orthopaedic wait at Royal Cornwall Hospitals?

In trauma and orthopaedics, which includes hip and knee replacements, 5,659 people were waiting at the end of September 2026, with a median wait so far of 18.4 weeks (England: 13.9). People admitted for treatment that month had waited a median of 39.7 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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