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University Hospitals Dorset waiting times

66,984 people were waiting for planned treatment at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust at the end of September 2026. Half had waited more than 12.4 weeks, about the same as England's (12.2).

NHS waiting times · Dorset · University Hospitals Dorset

All specialties, September 2026

66,984

waiting

up 4,278 (6.8%) on a year earlier

12.4 wk

median wait

England 12.2

67.3%

under 18 weeks

England 65.9%

582

over a year

England 113,490

Waits by specialty

Every specialty with people waiting at University Hospitals Dorset, 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 together66,98412.467.3%582
Trauma and orthopaedicsHip and knee replacements, shoulders, feet, hands and spines8,33717.352.7%232
Eyes (ophthalmology)Cataracts, glaucoma and other eye conditions4,93510.472.8%1
General surgeryHernias, gallbladders and other abdominal operations5147.582.3%6
GynaecologyHysterectomies, endometriosis, prolapse and other gynaecology6,86317.950.3%180
Ear, nose and throatTonsils, sinuses, ears and hearing5,84516.056.6%11
UrologyProstate, kidney stones and bladder2,9149.574.0%18
Oral surgeryWisdom teeth and other hospital dental surgery2,91414.258.8%1
DermatologySkin conditions4,56911.567.4%26
CardiologyHeart conditions4,01410.380.3%0
GastroenterologyStomach, bowel and liver conditions4,9038.789.1%0

The last 13 months

September 2025 to September 2026.

62,70666,984September 2025September 2026
People waiting at University Hospitals Dorset, by monthLowest 62,706, highest 67,800. The scale starts near the lowest value.
The figures
MonthValue
September 202562,706
October 202565,111
November 202562,984
December 202563,335
January 202665,960
February 202666,134
March 202666,516
April 202667,800
May 202667,497
June 202667,378
July 202667,365
August 202667,260
September 202666,984
12.9 wk12.4 wkSeptember 2025September 2026
Median wait at University Hospitals Dorset, weeksLowest 11.7 wk, highest 13.2 wk. The scale starts near the lowest value.
The figures
MonthValue
September 202512.9 wk
October 202512.8 wk
November 202512.6 wk
December 202513.2 wk
January 202612.7 wk
February 202612.6 wk
March 202611.7 wk
April 202612.2 wk
May 202612.2 wk
June 202612.2 wk
July 202612.1 wk
August 202612.4 wk
September 202612.4 wk
19.5 wk17.3 wkSeptember 2025September 2026
Orthopaedics median wait at University Hospitals Dorset, weeksLowest 15.8 wk, highest 20.5 wk. The scale starts near the lowest value.
The figures
MonthValue
September 202519.5 wk
October 202518.9 wk
November 202520.1 wk
December 202520.5 wk
January 202619.0 wk
February 202618.8 wk
March 202618.7 wk
April 202618.4 wk
May 202617.3 wk
June 202616.5 wk
July 202615.8 wk
August 202616.7 wk
September 202617.3 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 31.0 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 specialties17,66617.64,7798.449.2
Trauma and orthopaedics3,36027.048431.057.0
Eyes (ophthalmology)1,78212.764016.137.8
General surgery12219.8479.546.1
Gynaecology1,58728.326327.859.2
Ear, nose and throat77417.816811.750.5
Urology96620.721014.053.6
Oral surgery1,27324.227029.051.4
Dermatology1,67910.36236.327.6
Cardiology77414.123514.241.7
Gastroenterology1,6064.23834.719.5

Other trusts in Dorset

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

TrustWaitingMedian wait, weeksOrthopaedics median, weeks
Dorset County Hospital22,62414.120.1

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/university-hospitals-dorset.json. NHS England organisation code R0D.

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 University Hospitals Dorset?

At the end of September 2026, 66,984 people were waiting for planned treatment at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust. Half had waited more than 12.4 weeks, against 12.2 weeks across England. 67.3% had waited under 18 weeks and 582 over a year. Source: NHS England.

How long is the orthopaedic wait at University Hospitals Dorset?

In trauma and orthopaedics, which includes hip and knee replacements, 8,337 people were waiting at the end of September 2026, with a median wait so far of 17.3 weeks (England: 13.9). People admitted for treatment that month had waited a median of 31.0 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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