Last updated with NHS England data for August 2026. How we update

Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Waiting Times Across the NHS

The NHS Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) waiting list in England has 589,252 patients currently waiting for treatment, with a typical wait of around 14 weeks across 157 hospitals. In practice, Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) waiting times range from about 1 weeks at the fastest hospital to 26 weeks at the slowest. From GP referral to first Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) appointment, most patients (92%) are seen within about 36 weeks; the NHS constitutional target is 18 weeks. 12,000 patients have been on the Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) waiting list for more than a year. Waits for Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) are about 2 weeks shorter than in August 2025.

12-month change

Then vs now nationally

Aug 25→Aug 26
Typical wait
13.9weeks
â–¼ -2 wks
How long most people wait
Seen in 18 weeks
6in 10
â–² +4.4 pts
NHS aims to see everyone this fast
People waiting
589k
â–¼ -34k
On the waiting list right now
Waiting over a year
12k
â–¼ -14k
Been on the list for 12+ months
157
Hospitals you could choose from
14 weeks
How long most people wait
6 in 10
Seen within 18 weeks
12k
Have waited over a year

Common reasons for referral

Tonsil removal (tonsillectomy)
Grommets for glue ear
Hearing loss assessment
Sinus surgery
Nasal polyp removal
Sleep apnoea treatment
Deviated septum correction
Ear infections
Voice and swallowing problems

National trend

Average ear, nose & throat (ent) wait across England, month by month.

â–¼ -2 wks

All hospitals

Hospital Region Wait Within 18 Wks 52+ Wk
The Living Care Group North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 1 wks
100.0%
-
Spire Cheshire Hospital North West North West 3 wks
98.7%
-
Spire Harpenden Hospital East of England East of England 4 wks
100.0%
-
Epsomedical Group South East South East 4 wks
91.4%
1
Rsa (Athena Surgical Centre) East of England East of England 4 wks
100.0%
-
Spire Bushey Hospital East of England East of England 4 wks
95.7%
-
Fairfield Independent Hospital North West North West 4 wks
90.0%
-
Spire Fylde Coast Hospital North West North West 4 wks
89.9%
-
Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 4 wks
97.6%
-
Spire Liverpool Hospital North West North West 5 wks
99.4%
-
Bmi - The Droitwich Spa Hospital Midlands Midlands 5 wks
92.7%
-
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 5 wks
93.5%
-
Beacon Medical Services Group Limited North West North West 6 wks
98.3%
-
The Hamptons Hospital Ltd East of England East of England 6 wks
85.0%
3
Practice Plus Group Hospital - Ilford London London 6 wks
80.5%
-
Inhealth Limited South East South East 6 wks
82.5%
-
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust North West North West 7 wks
78.8%
-
Bmi - The Clementine Churchill Hospital London London 7 wks
99.9%
-
Bmi - The Beardwood Hospital North West North West 7 wks
93.8%
-
Benenden Hospital South East South East 8 wks
79.6%
1
Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - St Marys Portsmouth South East South East 8 wks
85.4%
-
Practice Plus Group Hospital - Emersons Green South West South West 9 wks
92.3%
-
Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 9 wks
76.0%
2
South Tyneside And Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
81.9%
-
Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - Devizes South West South West 9 wks
81.8%
-
University Of Southampton Auditory Implant Service South East South East 9 wks
75.1%
7
The Yorkshire Clinic North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
76.5%
3
Nuffield Health Highgate Hospital London London 9 wks
74.2%
1
Modality Llp Midlands Midlands 10 wks
73.1%
-
Nuffield Health Parkside Hospital London London 10 wks
76.1%
1
Buckshaw Hospital North West North West 11 wks
75.4%
2
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 11 wks
68.0%
45
Bmi Woodlands Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 11 wks
82.9%
-
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust South West South West 11 wks
74.5%
5
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
71.1%
26
Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 11 wks
65.8%
23
Renacres Hospital North West North West 11 wks
83.6%
-
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 11 wks
73.1%
23
University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 11 wks
70.0%
47
Isle Of Wight NHS Trust South East South East 11 wks
68.5%
-
Spire Hull And East Riding Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 11 wks
71.9%
-
Epsom And St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust London London 11 wks
73.9%
4
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 12 wks
69.9%
9
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 12 wks
68.6%
-
Dorking Healthcare Limited (Dhc) South East South East 12 wks
62.6%
4
County Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 12 wks
70.2%
1
Guy's And St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust London London 12 wks
66.0%
43
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 12 wks
71.7%
8
University Hospitals Bristol And Weston NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 12 wks
66.2%
2
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust East of England East of England 12 wks
69.3%
36
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 13 wks
63.0%
41
Medway NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 13 wks
67.1%
-
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 13 wks
65.4%
59
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 13 wks
67.7%
57
Tameside And Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 13 wks
61.8%
-
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 13 wks
63.8%
51
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust London London 13 wks
61.9%
319
East Cheshire NHS Trust North West North West 13 wks
62.0%
8
Springfield Hospital East of England East of England 13 wks
65.1%
3
Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 13 wks
63.6%
29
Countess Of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 13 wks
65.6%
1
Bmi - The Beaumont Hospital North West North West 13 wks
64.7%
1
Norfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 13 wks
66.8%
102
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 13 wks
62.7%
4
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 13 wks
63.9%
14
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust London London 13 wks
62.4%
3
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 13 wks
63.8%
1
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 13 wks
61.5%
2
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 14 wks
61.3%
52
Barking, Havering And Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust London London 14 wks
63.4%
156
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 14 wks
66.1%
8
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 14 wks
64.3%
13
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 14 wks
60.6%
-
Calderdale And Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 14 wks
64.6%
3
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 14 wks
62.3%
3
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 14 wks
58.4%
110
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 14 wks
61.8%
2
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 14 wks
64.6%
4
Practice Plus Group Hospital - Shepton Mallet South West South West 14 wks
58.2%
6
St Helens And Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North West North West 14 wks
59.4%
113
Communitas Clinics London London 14 wks
67.6%
16
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 14 wks
58.0%
35
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 14 wks
57.5%
1
The Shrewsbury And Telford Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 15 wks
59.7%
-
Wye Valley NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 15 wks
59.8%
4
Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 15 wks
58.1%
25
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 15 wks
60.5%
36
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 15 wks
56.8%
210
Surrey And Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 15 wks
58.0%
155
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 15 wks
58.0%
76
Ashford And St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 15 wks
59.0%
94
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 15 wks
58.5%
152
South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 15 wks
58.9%
26
Nuffield Health The Holly Hospital East of England East of England 15 wks
51.5%
3
Northern Lincolnshire And Goole NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 15 wks
57.1%
273
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 15 wks
57.4%
16
Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 15 wks
57.1%
10
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 15 wks
56.6%
38
University Hospitals Of North Midlands NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 15 wks
55.9%
230
Harrogate And District NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 15 wks
56.9%
-
Circle Reading Hospital South East South East 16 wks
60.0%
-
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 16 wks
55.0%
120
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 16 wks
55.9%
11
East And North Hertfordshire NHS Trust East of England East of England 16 wks
55.1%
61
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 16 wks
54.5%
202
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 16 wks
55.5%
34
Portsmouth Hospitals University National Health Service Trust South East South East 16 wks
55.6%
303
Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 16 wks
56.9%
-
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 16 wks
55.7%
1
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 16 wks
54.8%
303
York And Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 16 wks
55.5%
109
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 16 wks
55.7%
215
Claremont Private Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 16 wks
54.2%
1
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 16 wks
54.9%
41
Spencer Private Hospitals Ltd South East South East 16 wks
59.0%
7
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust London London 16 wks
54.3%
119
Warrington And Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 16 wks
54.4%
37
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 17 wks
54.0%
34
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust London London 17 wks
54.3%
174
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 17 wks
53.3%
187
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 17 wks
52.7%
171
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 17 wks
52.4%
14
Maidstone And Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust South East South East 17 wks
52.5%
1
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 17 wks
51.8%
49
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 17 wks
51.4%
-
Royal Devon And Exeter NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 17 wks
51.7%
82
Chelsea And Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 17 wks
51.5%
109
University Hospitals Of Derby And Burton NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 17 wks
51.3%
198
East Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 18 wks
51.3%
23
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 18 wks
50.8%
104
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 18 wks
50.6%
168
Barts Health NHS Trust London London 18 wks
50.5%
259
Sulis Hospital Bath (Foxcote Avenue) South West South West 18 wks
50.7%
-
Doncaster And Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 18 wks
50.2%
302
Whittington Health NHS Trust London London 18 wks
49.9%
-
Lewisham And Greenwich NHS Trust London London 18 wks
49.7%
133
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 18 wks
48.9%
243
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 19 wks
48.7%
200
Wrightington, Wigan And Leigh NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 19 wks
48.3%
133
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 19 wks
48.0%
212
University Hospitals Of Leicester NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 19 wks
48.2%
238
West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust East of England East of England 20 wks
47.0%
109
Omnes Healthcare Ltd North West North West 20 wks
46.5%
459
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 20 wks
44.7%
63
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 20 wks
44.3%
96
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 21 wks
44.5%
253
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 21 wks
40.9%
329
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 21 wks
42.9%
237
University Hospitals Coventry And Warwickshire NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 23 wks
39.4%
410
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 23 wks
39.8%
40
Practice Plus Group Hospital - Southampton South East South East 23 wks
29.0%
2
Sandwell And West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 24 wks
38.6%
210
Mid And South Essex NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 24 wks
40.4%
2,291
Nuffield Health, Tees Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 25 wks
0.0%
-
Rivers Hospital East of England East of England 25 wks
27.2%
-
Nuffield Health, Brentwood Hospital East of England East of England 26 wks
38.0%
41
Oaks Hospital East of England East of England 26 wks
14.9%
-

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the NHS Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) waiting list?

The NHS Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) waiting list in England has about 589,252 patients currently waiting for treatment. The typical wait is around 14 weeks (just over 3 months), based on data from 157 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 an ENT specialist 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 an ENT specialist. Nationally this currently averages about 14 weeks. In our data it ranges from as short as 1 weeks at the fastest hospital to 26 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 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) patients are seen within 18 weeks?

Across the NHS, 63% of Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) 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.