Referral to treatment (RTT) data for August 2026, published 8 October 2026 · Page updated 1 November 2026
Gastroenterology waiting times
In August 2026, 358,127 pathways were waiting for consultant-led gastroenterology care in England. 69.7% had waited under 18 weeks (standard 92%), the median wait so far was 11.0 weeks, and 3,640 had waited over a year. Waits vary widely between hospitals, as the table below shows.
Gastroenterology covers the digestive system, for example inflammatory bowel disease, reflux and liver problems. These are referral to treatment figures: they count everyone waiting for consultant-led gastroenterology care, from referral until treatment starts, whether or not they need an operation.
How long is the NHS waiting list for gastroenterology?
| Measure | England |
|---|---|
| Pathways waiting | 358,127 |
| Rank by size among specialties | 9 of 18 |
| Waited under 18 weeks | 69.7% |
| Median weeks waited | 11.0 |
| 92nd percentile weeks waited | 37 |
| Waited over 52 weeks | 3,640 (1.0%) |
| Share with independent providers (WTUK calculation) | 3.8% |
Which NHS trusts have the shortest and longest median gastroenterology 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust | 4.2 | Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust | 24.8 |
| Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 5.5 | Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 20.8 |
| East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | 5.9 | Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 19.7 |
| Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust | 6.1 | Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust | 17.9 |
| Whittington Health NHS Trust | 6.3 | Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust | 17.7 |
How long are gastroenterology 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 gastroenterology patients?
The largest 50 of 52 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beacon Medical Services Group Limited | North West | 1,343 | 88.4% | 5.8 |
| The Yorkshire Clinic | North East and Yorkshire | 1,240 | 64.7% | 11.8 |
| Rivers Hospital | East of England | 679 | 78.2% | 8.8 |
| Community Health and Eyecare Limited | North West | 605 | 88.3% | 6.9 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Emersons Green | South West | 451 | 100.0% | 3.4 |
| Cobalt Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 382 | 81.9% | 7.5 |
| Tyneside Surgical Services Ltd | North East and Yorkshire | 381 | 90.3% | 6.0 |
| Cavell Hospital | London | 351 | 64.4% | 12.3 |
| Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - St Marys Portsmouth | South East | 345 | 100.0% | 2.2 |
| Phoenix Health Solutions Limited Hq | North East and Yorkshire | 339 | 85.8% | 5.1 |
| Tees Valley Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 331 | 81.3% | 5.7 |
| Dorking Healthcare Limited (Dhc) | South East | 324 | 62.3% | 14.1 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Southampton | South East | 317 | 100.0% | 2.6 |
| Renacres Hospital | North West | 270 | 73.0% | 7.9 |
| The Grange Medical Centre Hq | North East and Yorkshire | 264 | 100.0% | 3.0 |
| Clementine Churchill Hospital | London | 253 | 100.0% | 4.9 |
| Medefer | London | 242 | 90.1% | 6.3 |
| Shirley Oaks Hospital | London | 222 | 77.9% | 7.5 |
| Springfield Hospital | East of England | 221 | 83.7% | 8.5 |
| Woodthorpe Hospital | Midlands | 218 | 90.8% | 5.2 |
| Epsomedical Group | South East | 218 | 82.6% | 4.5 |
| Blakelands Hospital | East of England | 208 | 91.3% | 5.4 |
| The Living Care Group | North East and Yorkshire | 207 | 100.0% | 0.7 |
| Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - Devizes | South West | 191 | 100.0% | 2.7 |
| Fitzwilliam Hospital | East of England | 191 | 73.8% | 9.1 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Shepton Mallet | South West | 190 | 100.0% | 3.2 |
| Kings Oak Hospital | London | 175 | 74.3% | 12.4 |
| Woodland Hospital | Midlands | 173 | 74.6% | 9.1 |
| Fairfield Independent Hospital | North West | 166 | 81.3% | 10.0 |
| Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - Gillingham | South East | 161 | 100.0% | 2.2 |
| Glendon Wood Hospital | Midlands | 156 | 88.5% | 3.1 |
| Blackheath Hospital | London | 155 | 75.5% | 8.2 |
| Meriden Hospital | Midlands | 146 | 87.7% | 6.6 |
| Woodlands Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 143 | 69.9% | 8.6 |
| Beacon Park Hospital | Midlands | 137 | 81.8% | 7.3 |
| London Independent Hospital | London | 132 | 94.7% | 3.9 |
| Park Hospital | Midlands | 129 | 83.7% | 7.8 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Ilford | London | 128 | 74.2% | 1.8 |
| Winfield Hospital | South West | 122 | 86.9% | 4.3 |
| Ashtead Hospital | South East | 116 | 81.0% | 9.1 |
| Benenden Hospital | South East | 106 | 81.1% | 7.4 |
| Hendon Hospital | London | 106 | 73.6% | 9.0 |
| Droitwich Spa Hospital | Midlands | 96 | 88.5% | 6.7 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Plymouth | South West | 87 | 100.0% | 1.6 |
| Rowley Hall Hospital | Midlands | 87 | 70.1% | 9.9 |
| Boston West Hospital | Midlands | 86 | 65.1% | 8.0 |
| Endocare Diagnostics Ltd | North West | 77 | 100.0% | 1.0 |
| Ridgeway Hospital | South West | 77 | 88.3% | 9.4 |
| Pinehill Hospital | East of England | 60 | 83.3% | 4.2 |
| Sulis Hospital Bath (Foxcote Avenue) | South West | 57 | 93.0% | 5.8 |
How long are endoscopy waits?
30.4% of people waiting for an endoscopy test in England had waited six weeks or more in August 2026. In August 2026, 68.0% of 44,370 people referred with suspected lower gastrointestinal cancer were told they had cancer, or that it had been ruled out, within 28 days (standard 80%). See endoscopy 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
Are endoscopies and colonoscopies counted here?
People waiting for consultant-led gastroenterology care are counted here. Waits for the tests themselves are measured in the diagnostics statistics, shown below.
What is the average wait for gastroenterology on the NHS?
In August 2026, the median time waited so far was 11.0 weeks in England, and 69.7% 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, “Gastroenterology waiting times”, NHS England RTT data for August 2026, https://waitingtimesuk.co.uk/waiting-times/gastroenterology (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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