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Referral to treatment (RTT) data for August 2026, published 8 October 2026 · Page updated 2 November 2026

Neurosurgery waiting times at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

NHS England referral to treatment (RTT) figures for consultant-led neurosurgery care at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, in the NHS England South East region. Patients waiting at the end of August 2026. Neurosurgery covers surgery on the brain, spine and nerves, for example some spinal operations and the removal of brain tumours.

Short answer: At the end of August 2026, 1,122 pathways were waiting for consultant-led neurosurgery care at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Half had waited 11.6 weeks or less so far (England 13.4 weeks), 74.3% had waited under 18 weeks (England 62.0%; standard 92%) and 2 had waited over 52 weeks.

Source: NHS England referral to treatment (RTT) statistics, published 8 October 2026. These are past figures, not a forecast of how long you will wait.

11.6 wksmedian wait so far: half had waited less (England 13.4 weeks)
74.3%waiting under 18 weeks (England 62.0%; standard 92%)
1,122pathways waiting at the end of August 2026
2waiting over 52 weeks (0.2% of the list)

Figures are for patients waiting at the end of August 2026 (NHS England RTT, published 8 October 2026). They show how long people had waited so far, not how long a new referral will wait, and they are not a guarantee of any wait. A pathway is one patient’s wait for one specialty; a person can be on more than one list.

Neurosurgery at Oxford University Hospitals: summary

At the end of August 2026 the median neurosurgery wait so far at Oxford University Hospitals was 11.6 weeks, shorter than England’s 13.4 weeks (a difference of 1.8 weeks, or 13%). 74.3% had waited under 18 weeks, 4.4 percentage points more than across the South East region (69.9%). Of 26 NHS trusts with at least 20 neurosurgery pathways waiting, 6 reported a shorter median and 19 a longer one, which puts Oxford University Hospitals in the middle half. The figures improved between the end of February 2026 and August 2026: the median fell from 12.6 weeks to 11.6 weeks and the list shrank by 69 pathways (6%). Over the same months the England median went from 14.1 weeks to 13.4 weeks. 2 pathways (0.2% of the list) had waited over 52 weeks, less than half the England share of 1.5%. Of the 9 other NHS trusts within 60 miles, only University Hospital Southampton (about 58 miles away, median 10.8 weeks) had a shorter median.

How does Oxford University Hospitals compare for neurosurgery?

Neurosurgery waits, end of August 2026
MeasureOxford University HospitalsSouth East regionEngland
Pathways waiting1,1222,83454,748
Waited under 18 weeks74.3%69.9%62.0%
Median weeks waited11.6not calculated13.4
92nd percentile weeks waited30not calculated40
Waited over 52 weeks2 (0.2%)15 (0.5%)806 (1.5%)

Region figures are a Waiting Times UK calculation: we add up NHS England’s figures for the 4 NHS and independent providers in the South East region with this specialty. Medians and percentiles cannot be added up, so we do not show them for the region. The under-18-weeks share leaves out pathways with an unknown start date, as NHS England does.

Of the 26 NHS trusts in England with at least 20 neurosurgery pathways waiting, 6 had a shorter median wait than Oxford University Hospitals and 19 a longer one. See all specialties on the operation and treatment waits page.

Has the neurosurgery wait at Oxford University Hospitals changed?

At the end of February 2026, 1,191 pathways were waiting and the median wait so far was 12.6 weeks. At the end of August 2026, 1,122 pathways were waiting and the median was 11.6 weeks. Past changes do not predict future waits.

Oxford University Hospitals: median neurosurgery wait (weeks)910121415Feb 26Mar 26Apr 26May 26Jun 26Jul 26Aug 26

Oxford University Hospitals: median neurosurgery wait (weeks) England neurosurgery

Neurosurgery at Oxford University Hospitals, month by month
Month endWaitingMedian weeksUnder 18 weeksOver 52 weeks
February 20261,19112.665.8%10
March 20261,0749.874.5%8
April 20261,14610.475.7%7
May 20261,09710.576.0%8
June 20261,09110.376.8%3
July 20261,12610.976.6%4
August 20261,12211.674.3%2

Which nearby trusts treat neurosurgery?

Neurosurgery: nearby NHS trusts, end of August 2026
Nearby trustDistanceMedian weeksUnder 18 weeksWaiting
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trustabout 46 miles16.553.7%4,394
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trustabout 48 miles15.255.9%3,018
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trustabout 49 miles13.261.9%3,578
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trustabout 51 miles14.758.7%4,087
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trustabout 52 miles14.065.4%2,779
Barts Health NHS Trustabout 53 miles18.149.7%1,441

Straight-line distance between the trusts’ registered addresses in the NHS Organisation Data Service. A trust may run several hospitals, so the site you are treated at can be elsewhere. Only trusts with at least 20 neurosurgery pathways waiting are listed.

Find neurosurgery waits near your postcode (England only).

Can I choose a hospital with a shorter wait?

In England you have a legal right to start consultant-led, non-urgent treatment within 18 weeks of referral, with some exceptions, and you can usually choose where you are referred for a first outpatient appointment. Each hospital has a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) that can help with questions about your wait. Your waiting time rights explained.

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.

More waiting times

Other specialties at Oxford University Hospitals

Frequently asked questions

How long is the wait for neurosurgery at Oxford University Hospitals?

At the end of August 2026, half of the 1,122 pathways waiting for neurosurgery at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust had waited 11.6 weeks or less, and 74.3% had waited under 18 weeks. This is how long people on the list had waited so far, not a prediction of how long a new referral will take.

How does Oxford University Hospitals compare with England for neurosurgery?

Across England the median neurosurgery wait was 13.4 weeks and 62.0% had waited under 18 weeks at the end of August 2026. Of 26 NHS trusts with at least 20 pathways waiting, 6 had a shorter median wait.

Is this page from the NHS?

No. Waiting Times UK is an independent website, not part of the NHS, and this is not medical advice. The figures are NHS England’s, reproduced under the Open Government Licence.

How should I cite these figures?

Waiting Times UK, “Neurosurgery waiting times at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust”, NHS England RTT data for August 2026, https://waitingtimesuk.co.uk/specialty-waits/oxford-university-hospitals-nhs-foundation-trust/neurosurgery (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 2 November 2026, from the data files named below. Figures change when the publisher releases new data.

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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