Northern Ireland diagnostics data for Quarter ending June 2026, published 3 September 2026 · Page updated 1 November 2026
NHS waiting times in Northern Ireland
At 31 March 2026, 54.1% of people waiting for a first outpatient appointment in Northern Ireland had waited over 52 weeks (target: none). In the quarter ending June 2026, 70.6% of MRI waits were over six weeks. Northern Ireland sets targets, not individual legal rights.
What are the waiting time targets in Northern Ireland?
| Measure | Target |
|---|---|
| First outpatient appointment | 50% within 9 weeks; none over 52 weeks |
| Diagnostic tests | 75% within 9 weeks; none over 26 weeks |
| Emergency departments | 95% within 4 hours; none over 12 hours |
Sources: Department of Health (NI): waiting times statistics, position at 31 March 2026; Department of Health (NI): emergency care waiting times, July to September 2026.
How long are outpatient and diagnostic waits in Northern Ireland?
| Measure (position at 31 March 2026) | Northern Ireland | Target |
|---|---|---|
| First outpatient appointment: waited over 9 weeks | 85.1% | 50% seen within 9 weeks |
| First outpatient appointment: waited over 52 weeks | 54.1% | No one waiting over 52 weeks |
| Diagnostic test: waited over 9 weeks | 58.8% | 75% within 9 weeks |
| Diagnostic test: waited over 26 weeks | 35.7% | No one waiting over 26 weeks |
Source: Department of Health (NI): waiting times statistics, position at 31 March 2026.
How long are scan waits in each HSC trust?
| HSC trust | MRI over 6 wks | CT over 6 wks | Ultrasound over 6 wks | Endoscopy over 6 wks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast HSC Trust | 70.7% | 41.8% | 37.8% | 38.5% |
| Northern HSC Trust | 74.4% | 49.4% | 78.9% | 25.4% |
| South Eastern HSC Trust | 80.0% | 50.1% | 65.9% | 46.2% |
| Southern HSC Trust | 55.9% | 49.7% | 43.4% | 55.9% |
| Western HSC Trust | 67.1% | 39.6% | 60.0% | 27.6% |
| Northern Ireland | 70.6% | 46.8% | 63.7% | 40.4% |
For emergency departments, see live A&E waits in Northern Ireland.
Figures for each UK nation use their own definitions and standards, so they are not directly comparable with England.
Which towns have their own waiting time pages?
Antrim · Ballymena · Bangor · Belfast · Londonderry / Derry · Newry
More: waiting time rights in each nation, all regions.
Not medical advice. If your symptoms change or get worse while you wait, contact your GP or the team treating you. If it is not an emergency, NHS 111 online or calling 111 can tell you where to go, including urgent treatment centres, which often have shorter waits. Call 999 or go to A&E for life-threatening emergencies such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding or signs of a stroke.
Frequently asked questions
Why are waits in Northern Ireland so long?
The Department of Health publishes the figures but this site does not analyse causes. The official statistics give the position by trust and specialty.
Do Northern Ireland figures use 6 or 9 weeks?
The Northern Ireland diagnostic target is 9 weeks; the quarterly tables also give waits over 6 weeks, which we show by trust.
Who do I contact about my wait in Northern Ireland?
Your HSC trust’s booking centre or patient liaison team.
How should I cite these figures?
Waiting Times UK, “NHS waiting times in Northern Ireland”, official statistics as dated above, https://waitingtimesuk.co.uk/regions/northern-ireland (accessed [date]). Where possible, cite the official publisher too.
Who wrote this page and where do the figures come from?
Written and maintained by the Waiting Times UK editorial team at Oaknest Media Ltd, an independent publisher that is not part of the NHS. Every figure is taken from an official publication, shown with its date, and linked below; where we add up or compare figures ourselves we say so. This page has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not medical advice. Page last updated 1 November 2026, from the data files named below. Figures change when the publisher releases new data.
- Department of Health (NI): diagnostic waiting times (Quarter ending June 2026, published 3 September 2026)
- Department of Health (NI): waiting times statistics, position at 31 March 2026
- Department of Health (NI): emergency care waiting times, July to September 2026
Official statistics are reproduced under the Open Government Licence v3.0. See data sources and methods and about Waiting Times UK.
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