Referral to treatment (RTT) data for August 2026, published 8 October 2026 · Page updated 1 November 2026
General surgery waiting times
In August 2026, 384,914 pathways were waiting for consultant-led general surgery care in England. 63.2% had waited under 18 weeks (standard 92%), the median wait so far was 12.8 weeks, and 8,213 had waited over a year. Waits vary widely between hospitals, as the table below shows.
General surgery covers a wide range of operations, for example hernias, gallbladder removal and some bowel and breast surgery (the mix varies by hospital). These are referral to treatment figures: they count everyone waiting for consultant-led general surgery care, from referral until treatment starts, whether or not they need an operation.
How long is the NHS waiting list for general surgery?
| Measure | England |
|---|---|
| Pathways waiting | 384,914 |
| Rank by size among specialties | 6 of 18 |
| Waited under 18 weeks | 63.2% |
| Median weeks waited | 12.8 |
| 92nd percentile weeks waited | 42 |
| Waited over 52 weeks | 8,213 (2.1%) |
| Share with independent providers (WTUK calculation) | 9.0% |
Which NHS trusts have the shortest and longest median general surgery 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust | 5.5 | University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust | 25.4 |
| South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust | 7.2 | Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 23.7 |
| Airedale NHS Foundation Trust | 7.5 | King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 23.5 |
| Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust | 7.9 | Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 21.8 |
| The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust | 8.7 | Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust | 20.9 |
How long are general surgery 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 general surgery patients?
The largest 50 of 126 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckshaw Hospital | North West | 1,010 | 79.0% | 8.3 |
| London Independent Hospital | London | 979 | 84.7% | 7.8 |
| Euxton Hall Hospital | North West | 814 | 69.7% | 10.6 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Ilford | London | 738 | 68.2% | 10.9 |
| The One Health Group Plc | North East and Yorkshire | 697 | 86.7% | 7.6 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Southampton | South East | 671 | 80.5% | 9.5 |
| Springfield Hospital | East of England | 637 | 67.8% | 12.8 |
| Rivers Hospital | East of England | 623 | 67.6% | 11.5 |
| Spire Liverpool Hospital | North West | 611 | 85.3% | 8.4 |
| Oaklands Hospital | North West | 605 | 82.8% | 8.9 |
| Spire London East | London | 603 | 66.0% | 13.7 |
| Three Shires Hospital | Midlands | 585 | 71.1% | 11.1 |
| Tees Valley Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 559 | 80.0% | 8.5 |
| Beaumont Hospital | North West | 559 | 64.9% | 9.7 |
| Fulwood Hall Hospital | North West | 530 | 82.3% | 7.3 |
| The Yorkshire Clinic | North East and Yorkshire | 521 | 67.2% | 11.2 |
| Fitzwilliam Hospital | East of England | 484 | 56.4% | 15.5 |
| Spire Hull and East Riding Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 477 | 52.8% | 15.6 |
| Spire Fylde Coast Hospital | North West | 471 | 72.4% | 8.9 |
| Nuffield Health the Holly Hospital | East of England | 463 | 67.4% | 10.9 |
| Spire Regency Hospital | North West | 458 | 81.9% | 8.8 |
| Spire Cheshire Hospital | North West | 425 | 86.6% | 6.7 |
| Pinehill Hospital | East of England | 421 | 69.4% | 11.9 |
| Cobalt Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 413 | 57.6% | 14.7 |
| Stourside Hospital | Midlands | 413 | 79.2% | 9.4 |
| Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - St Marys Portsmouth | South East | 409 | 93.9% | 4.7 |
| Sulis Hospital Bath (Foxcote Avenue) | South West | 404 | 69.8% | 10.6 |
| Spencer Private Hospitals Ltd | South East | 402 | 64.2% | 12.5 |
| Norwich & Norfolk Surgical Ltd (N2s) | East of England | 389 | 69.9% | 10.2 |
| Renacres Hospital | North West | 388 | 57.5% | 13.5 |
| Spire St Anthony's Hospital | London | 368 | 89.4% | 7.9 |
| Fairfield Independent Hospital | North West | 365 | 79.2% | 9.3 |
| Woodlands Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 361 | 80.1% | 9.0 |
| Clementine Churchill Hospital | London | 353 | 100.0% | 5.3 |
| Duchy Hospital | South West | 341 | 77.1% | 11.3 |
| Independent Health Group | South West | 332 | 98.8% | 4.5 |
| Claremont Private Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 331 | 40.5% | 23.1 |
| Hendon Hospital | London | 330 | 78.8% | 9.2 |
| Woodland Hospital | Midlands | 318 | 69.2% | 11.5 |
| Nuffield Health, Brentwood Hospital | East of England | 310 | 34.2% | 31.0 |
| Meriden Hospital | Midlands | 310 | 82.9% | 7.8 |
| Spire South Bank Hospital | Midlands | 301 | 87.0% | 7.1 |
| Mount Stuart Hospital | South West | 301 | 81.7% | 9.9 |
| Spire Little Aston Hospital | Midlands | 294 | 76.2% | 12.7 |
| Spire Elland Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 293 | 81.6% | 6.8 |
| Spire Murrayfield Hospital | North West | 285 | 84.2% | 7.2 |
| Blakelands Hospital | East of England | 283 | 79.9% | 8.3 |
| Spire Wellesley Hospital | East of England | 267 | 64.4% | 14.0 |
| Manchester Surgical Services Ltd | North West | 266 | 91.0% | 9.3 |
| Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - Gillingham | South East | 265 | 92.5% | 6.3 |
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
Do these figures cover hernia and gallbladder operations?
Mostly, yes, but hospitals record some of this work under other specialties, such as colorectal or upper GI surgery, which NHS England groups as “other surgical services”.
What is the average wait for general surgery on the NHS?
In August 2026, the median time waited so far was 12.8 weeks in England, and 63.2% 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, “General surgery waiting times”, NHS England RTT data for August 2026, https://waitingtimesuk.co.uk/waiting-times/general-surgery (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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