Waiting times by specialty
General surgery waiting times in England
At the end of June 2026, 382,851 people were on the England general surgery waiting list and about 6 in 10 people (63%) had been waiting less than 18 weeks.
NHS England reports this service as General Surgery Service. A broad surgical function covering abdominal and soft-tissue procedures, often including colorectal and upper-GI teams. It commonly includes hernia repair, gallbladder removal, colorectal surgery, lumps and bumps clinics.
- People waiting
- 382,851
- End of June 2026
- Under 18 weeks
- 63.0%
- Share of this published list
- Over 52 weeks
- 7,491
- Share of all NHS waits
- 5.3%
- of 7,178,718 total
7,491 people (2.0%, roughly 1 in 50) had been waiting more than 52 weeks.
How this has changed
Between July 2025 and June 2026 the share of people on the England general surgery list waiting under 18 weeks stayed broadly stable (61% to 63%).
Share waiting under 18 weeks: broadly unchanged over 3 months (62.9% in March 2026); up 2.9 points over 6 months (60.1% in December 2025).
Share seen within 18 weeks, month by month
Broadly stable · +1.9 pointsPercentage of people seen within 18 weeks, over the last 12 published months.
View these figures as a table
| Month | Within 18 weeks |
|---|---|
| July 2025 | 61.1% |
| August 2025 | 61.1% |
| September 2025 | 61.8% |
| October 2025 | 61.2% |
| November 2025 | 61% |
| December 2025 | 60.1% |
| January 2026 | 59.5% |
| February 2026 | 60.3% |
| March 2026 | 62.9% |
| April 2026 | 62.7% |
| May 2026 | 62.7% |
| June 2026 | 63% |
Month-to-month movements of less than two percentage points are treated as normal variation rather than a real change in direction.
Month-by-month figures
| Month | Waiting | Under 18 weeks | Over 52 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2025 | 395,792 | 61.1% | 11,136 |
| August 2025 | 396,097 | 61.1% | 11,402 |
| September 2025 | 394,291 | 61.8% | 10,944 |
| October 2025 | 392,001 | 61.2% | 10,232 |
| November 2025 | 381,777 | 61.0% | 9,691 |
| December 2025 | 386,066 | 60.1% | 9,228 |
| January 2026 | 386,565 | 59.5% | 8,958 |
| February 2026 | 385,499 | 60.3% | 8,207 |
| March 2026 | 376,693 | 62.9% | 5,927 |
| April 2026 | 382,295 | 62.7% | 6,414 |
| May 2026 | 382,013 | 62.7% | 7,105 |
| June 2026 | 382,851 | 63.0% | 7,491 |
How much hospitals differ
Across the 111 NHS trusts with data, the share waiting under 18 weeks ranges from 34% (University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust) to 94% (University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust) — a 60-point gap. These published figures do not predict when an individual patient will receive an appointment or treatment.
- 80% or more under 18 weeks7 trusts
- 65% to 79%30 trusts
- 50% to 64%61 trusts
- Under 50%13 trusts
A further 67 NHS-funded independent-sector and other providers reported 26,941 people waiting for this service. Their case mix can differ from an NHS trust's, so they are counted here but not ranked alongside trusts.
NHS trusts by published position
Trusts with at least 200 people on this list, most recent month, sorted by share waiting under 18 weeks. Small differences are not meaningful.
| Trust | Region | Waiting | Under 18 weeks | Over 52 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 1,106 | 94% | 7 |
| Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | North East | 6,520 | 93% | 0 |
| Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust | North East | 2,299 | 92% | 0 |
| Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 2,925 | 86% | 2 |
| South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust | North East | 4,478 | 83% | 0 |
| Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 391 | 81% | 0 |
| North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 808 | 80% | 2 |
| Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 1,498 | 79% | 0 |
| Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 559 | 78% | 1 |
| Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 2,938 | 78% | 4 |
| Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 1,227 | 77% | 0 |
| United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | East Midlands | 4,882 | 77% | 14 |
| Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 2,090 | 76% | 0 |
| Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 362 | 75% | 0 |
| The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North East | 945 | 74% | 25 |
| Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 5,382 | 74% | 0 |
| North Bristol NHS Trust | South West | 668 | 72% | 1 |
| Airedale NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 1,570 | 72% | 26 |
| The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust | West Midlands | 4,723 | 72% | 0 |
| Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust | South East | 5,566 | 71% | 0 |
| East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | South East | 4,674 | 70% | 25 |
| Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 1,686 | 70% | 16 |
| East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust | East of England | 2,000 | 70% | 3 |
| The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust | East of England | 3,854 | 70% | 24 |
| Croydon Health Services NHS Trust | London | 2,380 | 69% | 17 |
| Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 1,224 | 69% | 1 |
| Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust | London | 6,492 | 69% | 109 |
| Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 2,073 | 69% | 2 |
| Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust | South East | 5,869 | 69% | 175 |
| Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust | East Midlands | 2,524 | 69% | 6 |
| Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 1,048 | 68% | 6 |
| Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 4,077 | 68% | 6 |
| Medway NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 939 | 68% | 2 |
| University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust | East Midlands | 6,395 | 68% | 76 |
| South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust | West Midlands | 1,041 | 66% | 49 |
| Bolton NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 4,154 | 66% | 12 |
| Barts Health NHS Trust | London | 4,448 | 66% | 60 |
| Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | East Midlands | 1,762 | 65% | 1 |
| Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | North West | 6,567 | 64% | 157 |
| Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust | West Midlands | 4,575 | 64% | 22 |
| South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North East | 1,921 | 64% | 14 |
| Stockport NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 3,232 | 64% | 22 |
| University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | West Midlands | 4,434 | 64% | 2 |
| Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 1,763 | 64% | 4 |
| Wye Valley NHS Trust | West Midlands | 817 | 64% | 6 |
| James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 3,348 | 63% | 31 |
| Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 6,072 | 63% | 73 |
| Whittington Health NHS Trust | London | 4,110 | 63% | 60 |
| London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust | London | 3,372 | 62% | 7 |
| The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | London | 1,384 | 62% | 1 |
| University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust | West Midlands | 9,151 | 62% | 277 |
| North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 5,977 | 62% | 33 |
| Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | London | 2,717 | 62% | 17 |
| University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust | West Midlands | 8,357 | 62% | 296 |
| Somerset NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 2,730 | 61% | 44 |
| Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust | London | 2,560 | 61% | 52 |
| Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 807 | 61% | 29 |
| East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | North West | 3,122 | 61% | 1 |
| Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust | West Midlands | 4,989 | 61% | 13 |
| Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust | South West | 1,989 | 60% | 22 |
| Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 5,166 | 60% | 211 |
| Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust | London | 2,201 | 60% | 2 |
| County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust | North East | 6,314 | 60% | 209 |
| Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 3,773 | 60% | 32 |
| North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust | North East | 2,684 | 60% | 49 |
| Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust | South East | 2,420 | 60% | 0 |
| Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 5,222 | 59% | 36 |
| Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 4,229 | 59% | 106 |
| Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust | East Midlands | 860 | 59% | 19 |
| The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 1,878 | 58% | 49 |
| Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 7,564 | 58% | 260 |
| University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust | East Midlands | 4,585 | 58% | 131 |
| East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 8,430 | 58% | 477 |
| East Cheshire NHS Trust | North West | 1,407 | 58% | 25 |
| Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust | South East | 7,264 | 57% | 402 |
| University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 765 | 57% | 60 |
| Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | South East | 1,114 | 57% | 96 |
| Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Yorkshire and The Humber | 321 | 57% | 0 |
| West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | East of England | 3,257 | 57% | 19 |
| Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | London | 4,392 | 57% | 96 |
| Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | East Midlands | 4,332 | 56% | 46 |
| Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 1,207 | 56% | 7 |
| Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust | West Midlands | 1,707 | 56% | 0 |
| George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust | West Midlands | 1,331 | 56% | 4 |
| Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust | London | 1,585 | 56% | 6 |
| Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 3,810 | 56% | 13 |
| West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 2,212 | 54% | 59 |
| East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 5,974 | 53% | 3 |
| Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust | London | 7,168 | 53% | 181 |
| The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust | West Midlands | 999 | 53% | 32 |
| Isle of Wight NHS Trust | South East | 691 | 52% | 2 |
| Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 1,519 | 52% | 19 |
| North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 1,162 | 52% | 42 |
| Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 1,208 | 51% | 32 |
| The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust | West Midlands | 3,313 | 51% | 0 |
| Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust | London | 1,235 | 51% | 7 |
| The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 1,630 | 50% | 58 |
| Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | South West | 1,293 | 50% | 5 |
| University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 2,239 | 49% | 54 |
| Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 5,463 | 48% | 434 |
| Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 223 | 48% | 3 |
| Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | East Midlands | 1,311 | 48% | 159 |
| Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 8,646 | 48% | 779 |
| St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | London | 1,153 | 46% | 35 |
| Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 2,041 | 46% | 140 |
| Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 2,094 | 46% | 63 |
| Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 2,028 | 45% | 49 |
| Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 2,933 | 42% | 173 |
| Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust | London | 4,105 | 42% | 189 |
| King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | London | 4,685 | 40% | 282 |
| University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 2,806 | 34% | 311 |
What this measure includes
- These figures cover consultant-led referral-to-treatment pathways where the patient was still waiting to start treatment at the end of the reporting month.
- People can be at different stages of an incomplete referral-to-treatment pathway. The figures do not show the stage of an individual patient's pathway.
- These published aggregate figures do not show the clinical priority of an individual referral.
Checking your own position
Published figures describe a whole list for one month. To work out how long you have been waiting, use the wait check. The team named on your appointment letter is the only source for your actual place on a list.
How to read a specialty figure
These are end-of-month counts of people on an incomplete consultant-led referral-to-treatment pathway. One specialty list holds referrals of different clinical priority and people at different stages, and the published figures do not separate them, so this is context rather than a forecast for any individual.
What these figures cannot tell you
- Where you are in a queue, or when you will be seen or treated.
- How urgent your own referral is. These are aggregate waiting-list figures and do not show the clinical priority of an individual patient.
- Anything about a specific consultant, clinic or site within a trust.
- What will happen next month: these are end-of-month snapshots of a past period.
Related guides on this site
- Work out how long you've waited
Explains how the 18-week measure is counted and what a published percentage represents.
- Your rights while you wait
Reference article on what the 18-week standard is and is not.
- What happens if the NHS misses the 18-week target
Background on what happens when the 18-week standard is not met.
- NHS patient choice explained
Background on the legal basis of NHS patient choice.
- How consultant triage works
Explains how clinical triage affects the spread of waits on one list.