Referral to treatment (RTT) data for August 2026, published 8 October 2026 · Page updated 1 November 2026
Ear, nose and throat (ENT) waiting times
In August 2026, 590,233 pathways were waiting for consultant-led ENT care in England. 56.8% had waited under 18 weeks (standard 92%), the median wait so far was 15.4 weeks, and 12,031 had waited over a year. Waits vary widely between hospitals, as the table below shows.
Ear, nose and throat (ENT) covers the ear, nose, throat, head and neck, for example hearing problems, sinus problems and tonsils. These are referral to treatment figures: they count everyone waiting for consultant-led ENT care, from referral until treatment starts, whether or not they need an operation.
How long is the NHS waiting list for ENT?
| Measure | England |
|---|---|
| Pathways waiting | 590,233 |
| Rank by size among specialties | 3 of 18 |
| Waited under 18 weeks | 56.8% |
| Median weeks waited | 15.4 |
| 92nd percentile weeks waited | 42 |
| Waited over 52 weeks | 12,031 (2.0%) |
| Share with independent providers (WTUK calculation) | 5.7% |
Which NHS trusts have the shortest and longest median ENT waits?
Among NHS trusts with at least 1,000 pathways waiting. The median is how long half the people on that list had waited so far.
| Shortest median | Weeks | Longest median | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | 7.4 | Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust | 24.5 |
| South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust | 9.0 | Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust | 23.9 |
| The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust | 10.7 | George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust | 23.4 |
| Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 10.8 | University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust | 23.1 |
| Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust | 10.8 | East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust | 21.2 |
How long are ENT waits at each NHS trust?
NHS trusts with at least 50 pathways waiting, grouped by region and listed A to Z.
Which independent providers treat NHS ENT patients?
The largest 41 of 41 independent providers with at least 50 NHS pathways waiting. The full list is in the CSV download.
| Provider | Region | Waiting | % under 18 wks | Median wks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omnes Healthcare Ltd | North West | 12,275 | 46.5% | 19.6 |
| Communitas Clinics | London | 5,069 | 67.6% | 14.4 |
| Beacon Medical Services Group Limited | North West | 3,088 | 98.3% | 5.5 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Southampton | South East | 1,440 | 29.0% | 23.5 |
| Inhealth Limited | South East | 953 | 82.5% | 6.3 |
| Buckshaw Hospital | North West | 849 | 75.4% | 10.5 |
| Springfield Hospital | East of England | 823 | 65.1% | 12.9 |
| Clementine Churchill Hospital | London | 683 | 99.9% | 7.4 |
| Sulis Hospital Bath (Foxcote Avenue) | South West | 676 | 50.7% | 17.8 |
| The Yorkshire Clinic | North East and Yorkshire | 620 | 76.5% | 9.2 |
| Nuffield Health the Holly Hospital | East of England | 610 | 51.5% | 15.1 |
| Dorking Healthcare Limited (Dhc) | South East | 514 | 62.6% | 11.9 |
| Spire Liverpool Hospital | North West | 512 | 99.4% | 4.7 |
| Nuffield Health, Brentwood Hospital | East of England | 392 | 38.0% | 25.8 |
| Nuffield Health Highgate Hospital | London | 392 | 74.2% | 9.3 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Ilford | London | 329 | 80.5% | 6.1 |
| Spencer Private Hospitals Ltd | South East | 307 | 59.0% | 16.1 |
| Modality Llp | Midlands | 260 | 73.1% | 9.6 |
| Woodlands Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 252 | 82.9% | 10.7 |
| Beaumont Hospital | North West | 252 | 64.7% | 13.0 |
| The Hamptons Hospital Ltd | East of England | 246 | 85.0% | 5.7 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Shepton Mallet | South West | 237 | 58.2% | 14.3 |
| Fairfield Independent Hospital | North West | 220 | 90.0% | 4.0 |
| Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - St Marys Portsmouth | South East | 213 | 85.4% | 8.4 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Emersons Green | South West | 207 | 92.3% | 8.6 |
| University of Southampton Auditory Implant Service | South East | 193 | 75.1% | 9.1 |
| Claremont Private Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 192 | 54.2% | 16.0 |
| Rivers Hospital | East of England | 180 | 27.2% | 25.4 |
| Spire Fylde Coast Hospital | North West | 168 | 89.9% | 4.2 |
| Benenden Hospital | South East | 152 | 79.6% | 7.7 |
| Spire Cheshire Hospital | North West | 152 | 98.7% | 3.5 |
| Epsomedical Group | South East | 151 | 91.4% | 3.5 |
| Rsa (Athena Surgical Centre) | East of England | 147 | 100.0% | 3.9 |
| Spire Hull and East Riding Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 135 | 71.9% | 11.4 |
| Renacres Hospital | North West | 128 | 83.6% | 11.0 |
| Beardwood Hospital | North West | 113 | 93.8% | 7.4 |
| Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - Devizes | South West | 88 | 81.8% | 9.0 |
| Spire Harpenden Hospital | East of England | 75 | 100.0% | 3.5 |
| Spire Bushey Hospital | East of England | 70 | 95.7% | 4.0 |
| Nuffield Health Parkside Hospital | London | 67 | 76.1% | 10.5 |
| Droitwich Spa Hospital | Midlands | 55 | 92.7% | 5.1 |
How quickly are suspected head and neck cancers checked?
In August 2026, 76.1% of 24,307 people referred with suspected head & neck cancer were told they had cancer, or that it had been ruled out, within 28 days (standard 80%). See cancer waiting times.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Do these figures include hearing tests?
They include people waiting for consultant-led ENT care. Audiology tests on their own are counted in the diagnostics (DM01) statistics, not here.
What is the average wait for ENT on the NHS?
In August 2026, the median time waited so far was 15.4 weeks in England, and 56.8% had waited under 18 weeks. This is how long people on the list had waited at the end of the month, not a prediction.
Why is my hospital not listed?
The table shows trusts with at least 50 pathways waiting in this specialty. Some trusts record this work under a different specialty or did not submit data this month. Check the trust pages.
Can I ask to be referred somewhere else?
In England you can usually choose where you are referred for your first appointment. If you are already waiting and are likely to wait over 18 weeks, ask the hospital or your integrated care board about alternatives.
How should I cite these figures?
Waiting Times UK, “Ear, nose and throat (ENT) waiting times”, NHS England RTT data for August 2026, https://waitingtimesuk.co.uk/waiting-times/ent (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.
- NHS England: Referral to treatment waiting times (August 2026, published 8 October 2026)
- NHS England: Diagnostics waiting times (DM01)
- NHS England: Cancer waiting times (provisional)
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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