Outpatients
Waiting Times
Wait times for first outpatient appointment
We are sorry that many outpatient appointments have long waiting times. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.
Please only contact your GP if your condition worsens during your waiting period. Unfortunately, non-urgent cases cannot be expedited.
Please be assured that we have not forgotten about you. We are working hard across all specialties to review waiting lists and to minimise delays, and we will keep in touch with you about your waiting time.
The outpatient waiting times listed below indicate the approximate waiting time for each speciality. This wait starts when the hospital receives the referral from the GP until the point of being seen in an outpatient clinic. Please note that waiting times for our services are also reported on by other NHS and third-party organisations. These may differ to waiting times shown here as they measure wait times differently. We recommend that patients and the public refer to this page for the most representative estimates.
These statistics are updated at the beginning of each month and therefore the waiting times may fluctuate during the month. Some patients will be seen more quickly than the waiting times listed below, such as those on a two-week wait pathway (suspected cancer) and other urgent cases.
Waiting times for:
The outpatient waiting times listed below indicate the approximate waiting time for each speciality. This wait starts when the hospital receives the referral from the GP until the point of being seen in an outpatient clinic.
These statistics are updated at the beginning of each month and therefore sometimes the waiting times may fluctuate during the month. Some patients will be seen more quickly than the waiting times listed below, such as those on a two-week wait pathway (suspected cancer) and other urgent cases.
Surgery: September 2026
Surgery |
Outpatients (GP Referred) Wait in weeks in excess of: |
General Surgery |
37 |
ENT (Adults) |
43 |
ENT (Paediatric) |
43 |
Ophthalmology - General |
28 |
Ophthalmology surgical pathway - Cataracts |
19 |
Ophthalmology - Glaucoma |
12 |
Ophthalmology - Medical Retina |
3 |
Ophthalmology - Corneal |
10 |
Ophthalmology - Paediatric |
30 |
Ophthalmology surgical pathway - Lids |
7 |
Oral Surgery (Adults) |
40 |
| Oral Surgery (Paediatric) | 38 |
| Orthodontics | 32 |
| Pain Management | 46 |
Trauma & Orthopaedics - Hands |
24 |
Trauma & Orthopaedics - Knees |
16 |
Trauma & Orthopaedics - Foot & Ankle |
16 |
Trauma & Orthopaedics - Shoulder |
10 |
Trauma & Orthopaedics - Spine |
18 |
Trauma & Orthopaedics - Hips |
14 |
Trauma & Orthopaedics - Paediatric |
55 |
Urology |
35 |
Urology (Paediatric) |
35 |
Medicine: September 2026
Medicine |
Outpatients (GP Referred) Wait in weeks in excess of: |
Cardiology |
26 |
Dermatology (Adults) |
33 |
| Dermatology (Paediatric) | 36 |
Diabetic Medicine |
13 |
Endocrinology |
14 |
Gastroenterology |
31 |
Geriatric Medicine |
16 |
Neurology |
34 |
Respiratory |
26 |
| Rheumatology | 40 |
Family and Specialist Services: September 2026
Family & Specialist Services |
Outpatients (GP Referred) Wait in weeks in excess of: |
Gynaecology |
37 |
Paediatrics - General |
25 |
| Paediatrics - Allergy | 13 |
| Paediatrics - Cardiology | 39 |
Radiology: October 2026
This is a guide to the average waiting time for a non-specialised scan.
| Outpatient and Radiology Waiting Times
Current general referral waiting times.
|
Urgent
Approximate wait in weeks |
Routine
Approximate wait in weeks: |
| CT Scan | 2-3 |
5-6 |
| MRI Scan | 2-3 |
9-10 |
Ultrasound:
|
2-4 3-4 4+ 2-4 |
12-14 25+ 52+ 14-16 |
Plain film X-Ray:
|
2-3 |
6 6 |