Referral to treatment (RTT) data for August 2026, published 8 October 2026 · Page updated 1 November 2026
Trauma and orthopaedics waiting times
In August 2026, 851,183 pathways were waiting for consultant-led trauma and orthopaedics care in England. 60.9% had waited under 18 weeks (standard 92%), the median wait so far was 13.9 weeks, and 22,043 had waited over a year. Waits vary widely between hospitals, as the table below shows.
Trauma and orthopaedics covers bones, joints, ligaments and muscles, for example hip and knee problems, back and spine problems, and hand and foot surgery. These are referral to treatment figures: they count everyone waiting for consultant-led trauma and orthopaedics care, from referral until treatment starts, whether or not they need an operation.
How long is the NHS waiting list for trauma and orthopaedics?
| Measure | England |
|---|---|
| Pathways waiting | 851,183 |
| Rank by size among specialties | 1 of 18 |
| Waited under 18 weeks | 60.9% |
| Median weeks waited | 13.9 |
| 92nd percentile weeks waited | 43 |
| Waited over 52 weeks | 22,043 (2.6%) |
| Share with independent providers (WTUK calculation) | 17.8% |
Which NHS trusts have the shortest and longest median trauma and orthopaedics 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust | 6.2 | Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust | 30.8 |
| Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust | 7.1 | University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust | 23.9 |
| County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust | 7.4 | The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 20.9 |
| East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | 7.4 | Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 20.8 |
| North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust | 8.0 | East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust | 20.7 |
How long are trauma and orthopaedics 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 trauma and orthopaedics patients?
The largest 50 of 176 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sirona Care & Health | South West | 6,879 | 72.6% | 9.1 |
| Fitzwilliam Hospital | East of England | 4,176 | 48.0% | 18.9 |
| New Hall Hospital | South West | 2,999 | 66.3% | 12.7 |
| Woodland Hospital | Midlands | 2,905 | 63.4% | 14.0 |
| Nuffield Health the Holly Hospital | East of England | 2,783 | 65.4% | 12.4 |
| The Cherwell Hospital | South East | 2,362 | 65.5% | 12.1 |
| Fulwood Hall Hospital | North West | 2,350 | 76.0% | 9.6 |
| Woodthorpe Hospital | Midlands | 2,302 | 80.3% | 9.5 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Ilford | London | 2,265 | 76.9% | 10.0 |
| Renacres Hospital | North West | 2,242 | 40.5% | 23.7 |
| Oaklands Hospital | North West | 2,215 | 74.4% | 10.4 |
| Three Shires Hospital | Midlands | 2,138 | 61.6% | 13.5 |
| Spire Washington Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 2,121 | 71.5% | 12.0 |
| Sulis Hospital Bath (Foxcote Avenue) | South West | 2,071 | 71.3% | 10.5 |
| Euxton Hall Hospital | North West | 1,886 | 68.4% | 11.6 |
| Spire Fylde Coast Hospital | North West | 1,780 | 72.0% | 10.3 |
| Spire Hull and East Riding Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 1,765 | 65.9% | 12.8 |
| London Independent Hospital | London | 1,727 | 81.6% | 9.3 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Barlborough | Midlands | 1,726 | 74.8% | 11.1 |
| Spencer Private Hospitals Ltd | South East | 1,720 | 54.6% | 16.4 |
| Rowley Hall Hospital | Midlands | 1,696 | 64.1% | 13.0 |
| St Hugh's Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 1,690 | 76.4% | 10.1 |
| Clifton Park Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 1,632 | 76.0% | 10.0 |
| The One Health Group Plc | North East and Yorkshire | 1,627 | 79.2% | 9.4 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Plymouth | South West | 1,601 | 86.7% | 6.8 |
| Claremont Private Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 1,589 | 55.8% | 16.1 |
| Park Hospital | Midlands | 1,574 | 65.9% | 12.6 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Shepton Mallet | South West | 1,565 | 64.9% | 13.0 |
| Rivers Hospital | East of England | 1,534 | 62.5% | 13.8 |
| The Yorkshire Clinic | North East and Yorkshire | 1,426 | 68.4% | 10.8 |
| Circle Reading Hospital | South East | 1,414 | 72.1% | 10.4 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital Birmingham | Midlands | 1,376 | 65.0% | 12.1 |
| Nuffield Health, York Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 1,349 | 69.8% | 13.2 |
| Tees Valley Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 1,338 | 74.7% | 10.2 |
| Beaumont Hospital | North West | 1,318 | 73.0% | 10.8 |
| Duchy Hospital | South West | 1,317 | 63.7% | 13.6 |
| The Horder Centre - St Johns Road | South East | 1,313 | 59.6% | 15.5 |
| Spire London East | London | 1,311 | 76.8% | 10.8 |
| Meriden Hospital | Midlands | 1,287 | 83.8% | 7.8 |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Southampton | South East | 1,248 | 78.8% | 9.9 |
| Spire Little Aston Hospital | Midlands | 1,215 | 79.8% | 9.6 |
| St Martins Hospital | South West | 1,190 | 48.4% | 18.6 |
| Nuffield Health, Tees Hospital | North East and Yorkshire | 1,188 | 65.7% | 12.8 |
| Beardwood Hospital | North West | 1,172 | 82.8% | 8.0 |
| Stourside Hospital | Midlands | 1,147 | 69.7% | 11.2 |
| Nuffield Health, Derby Hospital | Midlands | 1,144 | 58.1% | 13.9 |
| Pinehill Hospital | East of England | 1,128 | 60.1% | 14.6 |
| Spire Regency Hospital | North West | 1,126 | 84.6% | 8.0 |
| Nuffield Health, North Staffordshire Hospital | Midlands | 1,115 | 71.7% | 6.4 |
| First Community Health and Care CIC | South East | 1,111 | 87.8% | 7.0 |
How long are MRI scan waits?
22.0% of people waiting for an MRI scan in England had waited six weeks or more in August 2026 (standard: under 1%). See MRI 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 hip and knee replacements?
Yes. Hip and knee replacements are counted within the trauma and orthopaedics total, but NHS England does not publish waits for individual operations, so the figures cover everyone waiting in the specialty.
What is the average wait for trauma and orthopaedics on the NHS?
In August 2026, the median time waited so far was 13.9 weeks in England, and 60.9% 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, “Trauma and orthopaedics waiting times”, NHS England RTT data for August 2026, https://waitingtimesuk.co.uk/waiting-times/trauma-and-orthopaedics (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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