Waiting times by specialty

Orthopaedics waiting times in England

At the end of August 2026, 851,183 people were on the England orthopaedics waiting list and about 6 in 10 people (61%) had been waiting less than 18 weeks.

NHS England reports this service as Trauma and Orthopaedic Service. Consultant-led care for bones, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It is the largest single elective waiting list in England. It commonly includes hip and knee replacement, shoulder and spine clinics, hand surgery such as carpal tunnel release, fracture follow-up.

People waiting: 851,183; End of August 2026
Under 18 weeks: 60.9%; Share of this published list
Over 52 weeks: 22,043
Share of all NHS waits: 11.8%; of 7,189,213 total

22,043 people (2.6%, roughly 1 in 38) had been waiting more than 52 weeks.

How this has changed

Between July 2025 and August 2026 the share of people on the England orthopaedics list waiting under 18 weeks stayed broadly stable (59% to 61%).

Share waiting under 18 weeks: broadly unchanged over 3 months (59.8% in May 2026); up 3.3 points over 6 months (57.6% in February 2026); up 2.3 points over 12 months (58.6% in August 2025).

Share seen within 18 weeks, month by month

18-week performance broadly stable · +2.3 points

Percentage of people seen within 18 weeks, over the last 14 published months.

View these figures as a table

Percentage seen within 18 weeks by month
Month	Within 18 weeks
July 2025	58.6%
August 2025	58.6%
September 2025	59.5%
October 2025	59.1%
November 2025	58.9%
December 2025	58.2%
January 2026	57.6%
February 2026	57.6%
March 2026	59.1%
April 2026	58.8%
May 2026	59.8%
June 2026	60.6%
July 2026	60.7%
August 2026	60.9%

Changes of less than 3 percentage points in the share waiting under 18 weeks are treated as broadly stable. This describes the whole waiting list, not how long any one person waits.

Month-by-month figures

Monthly Orthopaedics figures for England
Month	Waiting	Under 18 weeks	Over 52 weeks
July 2025	856,088	58.6%	28,710
August 2025	865,083	58.6%	29,176
September 2025	869,508	59.5%	29,111
October 2025	867,625	59.1%	29,115
November 2025	854,156	58.9%	27,719
December 2025	853,046	58.2%	25,716
January 2026	845,246	57.6%	25,055
February 2026	837,743	57.6%	23,056
March 2026	826,172	59.1%	18,999
April 2026	827,992	58.8%	19,505
May 2026	835,954	59.8%	20,912
June 2026	837,484	60.6%	21,456
July 2026	848,807	60.7%	22,378
August 2026	851,183	60.9%	22,043

How much hospitals differ

Across the 121 NHS trusts with data, the share waiting under 18 weeks ranges from 29% (Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust) to 100% (Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust) — a 71-point gap. These published figures do not predict when an individual patient will receive an appointment or treatment.

80% or more under 18 weeks8 trusts
65% to 79%25 trusts
50% to 64%72 trusts
Under 50%16 trusts

A further 154 NHS-funded independent-sector and other providers reported 148,469 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.

NHS trusts reporting Orthopaedics waits
Trust	Region	Waiting	Under 18 weeks	Over 52 weeks
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust	South East	3,828	100%	0
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust	North West	2,778	87%	0
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust	West Midlands	3,614	86%	0
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust	North East	7,078	85%	17
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust	South East	3,659	83%	0
Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust	West Midlands	7,287	83%	1
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust	South East	2,231	83%	3
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust	London	3,706	80%	13
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust	West Midlands	2,125	79%	0
Whittington Health NHS Trust	London	2,089	78%	0
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust	North West	6,583	78%	7
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust	South East	10,207	78%	78
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust	London	4,774	78%	5
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust	West Midlands	4,712	77%	0
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust	South East	4,271	76%	0
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust	North East	10,240	75%	176
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	London	3,449	74%	1
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	East of England	2,076	73%	11
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust	Yorkshire and The Humber	2,458	72%	1
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust	West Midlands	6,676	72%	54
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust	North East	10,783	71%	0
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust	South West	2,696	69%	25
Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust	North West	2,549	68%	3
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	London	4,118	68%	4
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	North East	5,592	68%	41
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust	North West	7,922	67%	148
Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust	North West	3,369	67%	0
United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust	East Midlands	5,934	66%	52
Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	South East	7,920	66%	146
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust	Yorkshire and The Humber	1,463	66%	23
Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust	South West	2,930	66%	11
York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	Yorkshire and The Humber	4,934	65%	62
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust	East Midlands	1,955	65%	2
The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust	West Midlands	11,098	64%	69
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust	London	3,215	64%	2
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust	West Midlands	4,036	64%	10
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust	West Midlands	4,250	64%	0
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust	South West	9,296	63%	389
Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust	South East	5,951	63%	167
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	North East	7,745	63%	256
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	North West	9,408	63%	212
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust	London	5,996	63%	184
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust	Yorkshire and The Humber	3,575	62%	10
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust	South West	8,550	62%	76
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust	London	6,885	62%	32
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust	London	3,861	62%	51
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust	North West	6,403	62%	211
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust	West Midlands	5,008	62%	167
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust	London	5,150	61%	30
Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust	South East	14,239	61%	335
East Cheshire NHS Trust	North West	1,571	61%	33
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust	Yorkshire and The Humber	4,784	61%	156
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	South East	5,901	61%	92
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust	North West	2,941	60%	26
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust	London	4,364	60%	26
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	London	5,993	60%	31
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	East Midlands	3,435	60%	51
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust	London	6,566	60%	37
Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust	Yorkshire and The Humber	2,871	59%	65
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	Yorkshire and The Humber	1,953	59%	31
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust	North West	6,468	59%	49
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust	North West	12,085	59%	189
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	North West	3,184	59%	19
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust	West Midlands	6,095	59%	28
Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust	London	2,580	59%	55
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust	North East	1,826	59%	0
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust	North West	2,587	58%	20
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust	Yorkshire and The Humber	2,522	58%	51
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	East of England	4,462	58%	16
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	South East	8,112	57%	196
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust	South East	3,071	57%	96
Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust	London	2,776	57%	5
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust	South East	4,881	56%	0
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust	Yorkshire and The Humber	6,886	56%	420
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust	London	5,459	56%	153
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	North West	3,021	56%	57
Barts Health NHS Trust	London	8,893	56%	55
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	North West	4,613	55%	23
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust	North East	8,783	55%	0
Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust	Yorkshire and The Humber	5,160	55%	137
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust	North West	2,319	55%	54
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust	East of England	7,105	55%	54
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust	East of England	2,046	55%	75
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	North West	4,672	55%	52
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust	London	9,609	54%	352
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust	North West	14,823	54%	686
Medway NHS Foundation Trust	South East	3,116	54%	5
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust	East of England	5,501	54%	48
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust	South West	8,476	54%	238
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust	South East	12,240	54%	238
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust	East of England	5,047	53%	108
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust	Yorkshire and The Humber	4,888	53%	91
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust	East Midlands	2,398	53%	72
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust	East Midlands	7,942	53%	373
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust	South East	3,068	53%	111
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust	East of England	10,692	52%	59
Isle of Wight NHS Trust	South East	2,269	52%	69
North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust	North West	3,394	52%	111
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	South West	9,401	52%	25
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	Yorkshire and The Humber	13,041	52%	1,140
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust	West Midlands	5,244	52%	178
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust	East of England	4,215	51%	72
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust	South East	5,003	51%	262
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust	South East	4,081	51%	200
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust	South West	5,637	50%	361
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	South West	5,943	49%	203
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust	South West	10,106	49%	605
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust	South East	5,011	49%	173
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust	East Midlands	17,672	49%	947
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust	South East	7,875	48%	396
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	East of England	8,469	48%	819
East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust	East of England	4,917	48%	273
Wye Valley NHS Trust	West Midlands	3,777	48%	390
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	West Midlands	5,536	47%	166
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust	West Midlands	2,333	46%	0
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust	South West	3,432	46%	140
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	East of England	7,426	46%	482
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust	West Midlands	15,109	44%	2,234
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust	South East	8,187	44%	319
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust	East Midlands	11,858	39%	968
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust	East of England	11,377	29%	2,418

Orthopaedics waits at individual hospitals

112 NHS organisations have a page for this service, grouped by region. Each page shows that organisation's published figures for orthopaedics alongside the England position.

East Midlands (7)

East of England (11)

London (18)

North East (7)

North West (16)

South East (19)

South West (8)

West Midlands (14)

Yorkshire and The Humber (12)

How 18-week performance changed over 12 months

Of the 110 hospital-and-specialty pages for orthopaedics with enough comparable published history (110 organisations), these are the 12-month changes in the share of each waiting list waiting under 18 weeks, August 2025 to August 2026:

52 of 11018-week performance improved by 3 or more percentage points
44 of 11018-week performance broadly stable (change under 3 percentage points)
14 of 11018-week performance deteriorated by 3 or more percentage points

These are counts of provider-and-specialty pages, not people. A large and a small waiting list each count once, so the counts describe how many published lists moved in each direction, not how waits changed for patients in general. They do not predict any individual wait and say nothing about quality of care. Figures are for whole trusts or providers, not individual hospital sites. Lists are alphabetical, not ranked.

18-week performance improved by 3 or more percentage points (52 pages, first 5 A–Z)

Airedale NHS Foundation Trust · 61.7% → 66.2%
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust · 50.4% → 58%
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · 49.2% → 55.5%
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust · 51.9% → 55.2%
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · 50.6% → 59.1%

47 more in this group. Every hospital page is listed in the hospital trust directory.

18-week performance broadly stable (change under 3 percentage points) (44 pages, first 5 A–Z)

Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · 65.8% → 66.5%
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust · 57% → 60%
Barts Health NHS Trust · 55.5% → 55.5%
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · 43.4% → 45.5%
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust · 52.9% → 50.8%

39 more in this group. Every hospital page is listed in the hospital trust directory.

18-week performance deteriorated by 3 or more percentage points (14 pages, first 5 A–Z)

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust · 70.8% → 62.4%
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust · 81% → 72.2%
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust · 87% → 74.6%
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust · 50.7% → 44%
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · 57.5% → 52%

9 more in this group. Every hospital page is listed in the hospital trust directory.

NHS waiting trends across England explains the method and covers every specialty and area.

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

What happens after 52 weeks on a waiting list
Background on how year-plus waits are treated in NHS reporting.
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.

All specialties