Cardiology Waiting Times Across the NHS

The NHS Cardiology waiting list in England has 381,369 patients currently waiting for treatment, with a typical wait of around 13 weeks across 131 hospitals. In practice, Cardiology waiting times range from about 3 weeks at the fastest hospital to 101 weeks at the slowest. From GP referral to first Cardiology appointment, most patients (92%) are seen within about 33 weeks; the NHS constitutional target is 18 weeks. 4,138 patients have been on the Cardiology waiting list for more than a year. Waits for Cardiology are about 0.6 week shorter than in February 2025.

12-month change

Then vs now nationally

Feb 25→Feb 26
Typical wait
12.8weeks
â–¼ -0.6 wks
How long most people wait
Seen in 18 weeks
7in 10
â–² +3.2 pts
NHS aims to see everyone this fast
People waiting
381k
â–¼ -30k
On the waiting list right now
Waiting over a year
4.1k
â–¼ -4k
Been on the list for 12+ months
131
Hospitals you could choose from
13 weeks
How long most people wait
7 in 10
Seen within 18 weeks
4.1k
Have waited over a year

Common reasons for referral

Chest pain investigation
Heart rhythm problems (arrhythmia)
Heart failure management
Angiogram and angioplasty
Echocardiogram
High blood pressure
Heart murmur assessment
Palpitations
Post-heart attack follow-up

National trend

Average cardiology wait across England, month by month.

â–¼ -0.6 wks

All hospitals

Hospital Region Wait Within 18 Wks 52+ Wk
Nuffield Health The Holly Hospital East of England East of England 3 wks
100.0%
-
Care Plus Group North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 3 wks
83.6%
-
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 5 wks
96.8%
-
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 6 wks
93.2%
-
Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 6 wks
91.7%
-
South Tyneside And Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 6 wks
86.3%
-
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 6 wks
91.5%
-
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 7 wks
94.8%
-
Hampshire And Isle Of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 7 wks
93.5%
-
Duchy Hospital South West South West 7 wks
79.4%
-
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust London London 7 wks
88.1%
2
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 7 wks
95.6%
-
Epsom And St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust London London 8 wks
71.2%
65
Countess Of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 8 wks
74.6%
7
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 8 wks
83.3%
1
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 8 wks
82.2%
-
East And North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust East of England East of England 8 wks
93.0%
-
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 8 wks
76.3%
27
North Tees And Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 8 wks
79.7%
-
Chelsea And Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 8 wks
97.2%
-
County Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 8 wks
81.4%
-
Surrey And Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 8 wks
82.0%
8
United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 8 wks
79.8%
-
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 9 wks
78.3%
1
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
88.5%
-
Tameside And Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 9 wks
78.6%
-
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 9 wks
77.9%
-
Calderdale And Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
80.4%
-
Liverpool Heart And Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 9 wks
79.4%
-
East Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 9 wks
72.4%
-
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 9 wks
80.9%
-
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 9 wks
72.4%
9
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
73.9%
-
Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust London London 9 wks
81.7%
-
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 9 wks
82.1%
2
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 9 wks
81.2%
3
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
75.7%
5
Dorking Healthcare Limited (Dhc) South East South East 10 wks
82.2%
-
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
77.6%
18
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 10 wks
80.6%
-
Doncaster And Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
78.1%
-
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 10 wks
77.1%
3
Barking, Havering And Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust London London 11 wks
79.0%
-
Heart Networks North West North West 11 wks
96.8%
-
North Bristol NHS Trust South West South West 11 wks
68.4%
1
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust North West North West 11 wks
72.7%
-
Ashford And St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 11 wks
74.7%
-
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust South East South East 11 wks
67.8%
6
Northern Lincolnshire And Goole NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 11 wks
73.1%
-
Torbay And South Devon NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 11 wks
73.7%
2
Wrightington, Wigan And Leigh NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 11 wks
68.2%
7
Mersey And West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North West North West 11 wks
74.1%
-
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust East of England East of England 11 wks
77.4%
1
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 11 wks
69.7%
2
Harrogate And District NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 11 wks
71.5%
-
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 11 wks
71.4%
9
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 11 wks
71.4%
4
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 11 wks
69.0%
5
Mid And South Essex NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 11 wks
71.4%
35
Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 11 wks
74.1%
-
Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 12 wks
66.9%
1
Epsomedical Group South East South East 12 wks
78.0%
-
University Hospitals Coventry And Warwickshire NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 12 wks
70.8%
-
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 12 wks
69.3%
24
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 12 wks
69.1%
-
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 12 wks
65.9%
1
The Shrewsbury And Telford Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 12 wks
68.3%
22
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 12 wks
66.2%
18
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 12 wks
68.0%
7
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 12 wks
67.4%
16
Barts Health NHS Trust London London 12 wks
66.0%
-
Norfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 12 wks
68.2%
50
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust South West South West 12 wks
62.9%
2
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 12 wks
69.0%
1
Maidstone And Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust South East South East 13 wks
67.6%
-
University Hospitals Of Derby And Burton NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 13 wks
66.9%
29
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust London London 13 wks
65.6%
24
University Hospitals Of North Midlands NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 13 wks
61.0%
50
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 13 wks
67.6%
3
Wye Valley NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 13 wks
66.5%
33
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 13 wks
69.0%
-
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 13 wks
66.7%
64
University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 13 wks
64.2%
6
University Hospitals Bristol And Weston NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 13 wks
63.9%
42
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 13 wks
63.4%
4
University Hospitals Of Leicester NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 14 wks
60.9%
23
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 14 wks
63.1%
-
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 14 wks
62.1%
124
Dartford And Gravesham NHS Trust South East South East 14 wks
62.6%
5
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 14 wks
62.7%
17
Warrington And Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 14 wks
60.2%
26
Guy's And St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust London London 14 wks
59.9%
200
Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 14 wks
60.4%
20
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 14 wks
61.7%
137
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 14 wks
57.9%
24
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust London London 14 wks
59.6%
36
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 14 wks
60.5%
65
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 14 wks
63.9%
7
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 14 wks
61.7%
30
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 14 wks
60.3%
278
Lewisham And Greenwich NHS Trust London London 14 wks
60.7%
2
Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 15 wks
61.2%
7
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust South West South West 15 wks
59.4%
63
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 15 wks
57.6%
78
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 15 wks
57.3%
18
Kingston And Richmond NHS Foundation Trust London London 15 wks
56.8%
-
Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 15 wks
57.6%
-
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 15 wks
57.2%
53
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 15 wks
55.9%
163
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 16 wks
56.4%
-
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust London London 16 wks
56.1%
147
Whittington Health NHS Trust London London 16 wks
54.8%
-
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust East of England East of England 16 wks
56.6%
56
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 16 wks
54.6%
204
York And Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 16 wks
53.0%
73
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 17 wks
53.4%
1
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 17 wks
52.8%
97
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 17 wks
52.4%
95
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 17 wks
52.4%
61
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 17 wks
50.8%
86
Isle Of Wight NHS Trust South East South East 18 wks
50.5%
-
Spire Hull And East Riding Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 18 wks
50.0%
-
Medway NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 18 wks
49.8%
24
Sandwell And West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 19 wks
48.1%
227
East Cheshire NHS Trust North West North West 19 wks
48.3%
37
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 19 wks
47.1%
240
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 19 wks
46.6%
61
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 23 wks
39.9%
105
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 25 wks
35.4%
541
The Hamptons Hospital Ltd East of England East of England 32 wks
17.8%
15
Nuffield Health, Exeter Hospital South West South West 101 wks
2.4%
72

Patient experiences

Stories from people who've been through this department.

No reviews yet. Be the first to leave one.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the NHS Cardiology waiting list?

The NHS Cardiology waiting list in England has about 381,369 patients currently waiting for treatment. The typical wait is around 13 weeks (3 months), based on data from 131 hospitals. Waiting times vary significantly between hospitals, so it's worth comparing your options before accepting a referral.

How long will I wait to see a cardiologist on the NHS?

The headline NHS waiting time is the wait from your GP's referral to your first outpatient appointment, which is the first time you actually see a cardiologist. Nationally this currently averages about 13 weeks. In our data it ranges from as short as 3 weeks at the fastest hospital to 101 weeks at the slowest, so where you are referred matters. Any tests, procedures or treatment that follow that first appointment may have their own waits on top.

What percentage of Cardiology patients are seen within 18 weeks?

Across the NHS, 68% of Cardiology patients are currently seen within the 18-week target. The NHS constitutional standard is 92%.

Can I choose which hospital I'm referred to?

Yes. Under the NHS Constitution, patients in England have the right to choose which hospital they are referred to for a first outpatient appointment. You can use WaitRadar to compare waiting times and discuss your options with your GP.

Source: NHS England RTT statistics. about our methodology

This is informational data, not medical advice. Always discuss referral options with your GP. Full disclaimer.