A&E data for September 2026, published 8 October 2026 · Diagnostics (DM01) data for August 2026, published 8 October 2026 · Referral to treatment (RTT) data for August 2026, published 8 October 2026 · Page updated 2 November 2026
NHS waiting times in Birmingham
Waits near Birmingham at a glance
A&E – University Hospitals Birmingham NOT LIVE
2 in 3 (69.0%)
of A&E attendances ended in admission, transfer or discharge within 4 hours. At the main (type 1) A&E it was more than 5 in 10 (57.3%).
Official monthly figure for Sep 2026 · published 8 October 2026 · NHS England
The hospital publishes current waits for Midland Metropolitan University Hospital and other sites on its own website. We link to it rather than copying the figures. Not sure you need A&E? Use NHS 111 online or call 111.
Short answer: Birmingham is served mainly by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, in the NHS England Midlands region. In September 2026, 69.0% of A&E attendances at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust ended within 4 hours (admitted, transferred or discharged), against 74.4% across England and the 95% standard; at the end of August 2026, 80.3% of the 7,111 people waiting for an MRI scan there had waited under 6 weeks (England 78.0%); at the end of August 2026, 85.2% of the 3,828 people waiting for a CT scan there had waited under 6 weeks (England 88.8%); the median wait so far for planned hospital treatment was 11.7 weeks (England 12.2 weeks).
Source: NHS England A&E and diagnostics (DM01) and referral to treatment (RTT) statistics, published 8 October 2026. These are past figures, not a forecast of how long you will wait.
69.0%of A&E attendances admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours (September 2026)
57.3%within 4 hours at the main (type 1) A&E
47,503A&E attendances in the month
2,085waited over 12 hours from the decision to admit (not from arrival)
In September 2026, 69.0% of the 47,503 A&E attendances at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust ended with the patient admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours. That is 5.4 percentage points below the England average of 74.4% and 3.9 percentage points below the Midlands average of 72.9%. It ranks 86 of 120 trusts with a major A&E in England and 13 of 21 in Midlands (ranked on the all-types 4-hour figure; 1 = highest share). At the main emergency department (type 1), 57.3% spent 4 hours or less, against 60.6% across England. 10,284 patients were admitted as emergencies through A&E, and 2,085 waited more than 12 hours from the decision to admit them to being admitted.
Over the last 13 months the 4-hour figure has ranged from 61.1% (January 2026) to 71.0% (July 2026); it is up 4.5 percentage points since September 2025.
University Hospitals Birmingham: % within 4 hours of arrival England
74.5%of A&E attendances admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours (September 2026)
57.0%within 4 hours at the main (type 1) A&E
21,786A&E attendances in the month
221waited over 12 hours from the decision to admit (not from arrival)
In September 2026, 74.5% of the 21,786 A&E attendances at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust ended with the patient admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours. That is 0.1 percentage points above the England average of 74.4% and 1.6 percentage points above the Midlands average of 72.9%. It ranks 49 of 120 trusts with a major A&E in England and 8 of 21 in Midlands (ranked on the all-types 4-hour figure; 1 = highest share). At the main emergency department (type 1), 57.0% spent 4 hours or less, against 60.6% across England. 2,609 patients were admitted as emergencies through A&E, and 221 waited more than 12 hours from the decision to admit them to being admitted.
Over the last 13 months the 4-hour figure has ranged from 70.9% (January 2026) to 76.3% (September 2025); it is down 1.8 percentage points since September 2025.
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals: % within 4 hours of arrival England
Full A&E page for Birmingham: 13-month history, nearby A&E departments and what to do if it is not an emergency.
Scan and test waiting times in Birmingham
Diagnostic waiting lists at University Hospitals Birmingham, end of August 2026
Test
Waiting list
Waiting under 6 weeks
Waiting 13+ weeks
England under 6 weeks
MRI
7,111
80.3%
258
78.0%
CT
3,828
85.2%
42
88.8%
Ultrasound
16,455
57.5%
1,265
78.3%
Endoscopy
5,657
43.8%
2,306
69.6%
Diagnostic waiting lists at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals, end of August 2026
At the end of August 2026, 96,303 people were waiting to start consultant-led treatment at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. Half had waited less than 11.7 weeks (England: 12.2 weeks) and 66.6% had waited under 18 weeks, 1.4 percentage points above the England figure of 65.2%. The NHS constitution standard is 92% within 18 weeks.
At the end of August 2026, 67,228 people were waiting to start consultant-led treatment at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust. Half had waited less than 14.4 weeks (England: 12.2 weeks) and 60.1% had waited under 18 weeks, 5.1 percentage points below the England figure of 65.2%. The NHS constitution standard is 92% within 18 weeks.
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals: median RTT wait (weeks) England
ADHD and autism assessment waits in the local ICB area
ADHD: in June 2026 there were 10,335 open referrals that may be for an ADHD assessment in NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board. 4,865 (47.1%) had been open for a year or more, compared with 57.8% across England. 5,715 had no first contact recorded yet. ADHD waits by area.
Autism: in June 2026, 5,385 people had an open suspected autism referral in this ICB area, and 4,735 (87.9%) had been waiting at least 13 weeks (England 86.8%). Autism waits by area.
NHS England counts open referrals that may be for ADHD. It describes these figures as management information and experimental statistics, so they are approximate and depend on how services record referrals. See also mental health waiting times.
Nearby towns
A&E performance at the main trust for the nearest towns on this site.
The 4-hour A&E figure is the share of A&E attendances that ended with the patient admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours of arriving. The NHS constitution standard is 95%. The diagnostics figures show how long people on the waiting list for a test had waited at the end of the month; the standard is that fewer than 1% wait 6 weeks or more. The referral to treatment (RTT) figures cover people waiting to start consultant-led treatment, against a standard of 92% within 18 weeks. These are averages for a whole trust and do not predict how long any one person will wait.
This page was last updated on 2 November 2026. The reporting period is the time the figures describe; the published date is when the official publisher released them. These figures describe people who were already waiting or attending during the reporting period. They are not a forecast or a guarantee of how long someone referred now will wait: that depends on clinical urgency, the hospital and the service.
In September 2026, 69.0% of A&E attendances at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust were admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours, against 74.4% across England. 2,085 patients waited more than 12 hours from decision to admit. Actual waits depend on how urgent your condition is.
How long is the wait for an MRI scan in Birmingham?
At the end of August 2026, 80.3% of the 7,111 people waiting for an MRI scan at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust had waited under 6 weeks (England 78.0%).
How long is the wait for a CT scan in Birmingham?
At the end of August 2026, 85.2% of the 3,828 people waiting for a CT scan at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust had waited under 6 weeks (England 88.8%).
How long is the wait for hospital treatment in Birmingham?
The median wait for consultant-led treatment at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust was 11.7 weeks at the end of August 2026, and 66.6% of patients had waited under 18 weeks.
NHS England publishes A&E, diagnostics (DM01) and referral to treatment (RTT) statistics every month, usually on the second Thursday. A&E figures cover the previous month; diagnostics and RTT figures are a month further behind. This site refreshes when new files are published.