General Medicine Waiting Times Across the NHS

The NHS General Medicine waiting list in England has 35,236 patients currently waiting for treatment, with a typical wait of around 9 weeks across 81 hospitals. In practice, General Medicine waiting times range from about 1 weeks at the fastest hospital to 31 weeks at the slowest. From GP referral to first General Medicine appointment, most patients (92%) are seen within about 25 weeks; the NHS constitutional target is 18 weeks. 332 patients have been on the General Medicine waiting list for more than a year. Waits for General Medicine are about 1.8 weeks shorter than in February 2025.

12-month change

Then vs now nationally

Feb 25→Feb 26
Typical wait
9.3weeks
â–¼ -1.8 wks
How long most people wait
Seen in 18 weeks
8in 10
â–² +6.9 pts
NHS aims to see everyone this fast
People waiting
35k
â–¼ -6.8k
On the waiting list right now
Waiting over a year
332
â–² +24
Been on the list for 12+ months
81
Hospitals you could choose from
9 weeks
How long most people wait
8 in 10
Seen within 18 weeks
332
Have waited over a year

Common reasons for referral

Complex diagnostic investigations
Chronic disease management
Unexplained weight loss
Fatigue investigation
Fever of unknown origin
Anaemia workup
Diabetes management
Hypertension review

National trend

Average general medicine wait across England, month by month.

â–¼ -1.8 wks

All hospitals

Hospital Region Wait Within 18 Wks 52+ Wk
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 1 wks
97.1%
-
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 1 wks
86.8%
-
University Hospitals Of Leicester NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 1 wks
88.3%
-
Countess Of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 2 wks
90.2%
-
East And North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust East of England East of England 2 wks
96.4%
-
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 2 wks
97.4%
1
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 3 wks
71.4%
-
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 3 wks
95.4%
-
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 3 wks
97.1%
-
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 3 wks
86.0%
-
Hampshire And Isle Of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 4 wks
100.0%
-
Surrey And Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 4 wks
83.1%
-
North Tees And Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 4 wks
95.0%
-
Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 4 wks
93.8%
-
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 5 wks
100.0%
-
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 5 wks
96.6%
-
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 5 wks
93.8%
-
Mersey And West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North West North West 5 wks
87.3%
-
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 5 wks
96.4%
-
Warrington And Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 5 wks
100.0%
-
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 5 wks
94.3%
-
Ashford And St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 5 wks
94.1%
-
Chelsea And Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 6 wks
100.0%
-
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 6 wks
99.9%
-
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 6 wks
100.0%
-
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 6 wks
90.4%
-
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust South West South West 6 wks
100.0%
-
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 6 wks
96.3%
-
Northern Lincolnshire And Goole NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 6 wks
77.6%
-
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 6 wks
87.8%
1
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 6 wks
93.5%
-
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 6 wks
99.1%
-
United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 6 wks
79.6%
4
Torbay And South Devon NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 7 wks
81.0%
1
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 7 wks
94.1%
-
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 7 wks
89.1%
-
Tameside And Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 7 wks
95.1%
-
Guy's And St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust London London 7 wks
91.0%
-
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 8 wks
94.3%
-
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 8 wks
82.2%
6
University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 8 wks
77.6%
1
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 8 wks
88.0%
-
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust London London 8 wks
92.0%
-
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust London London 8 wks
74.8%
-
Dorking Healthcare Limited (Dhc) South East South East 8 wks
88.6%
-
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 9 wks
82.7%
1
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 9 wks
100.0%
-
University Hospitals Coventry And Warwickshire NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 9 wks
76.7%
-
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
78.0%
2
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 9 wks
91.4%
1
Medway NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 10 wks
97.4%
-
The Robert Jones And Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
68.4%
18
Wrightington, Wigan And Leigh NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 11 wks
81.9%
-
The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
73.0%
-
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 11 wks
72.7%
2
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust London London 11 wks
75.4%
-
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
71.9%
3
Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust London London 11 wks
89.4%
-
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 12 wks
67.1%
4
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 12 wks
74.0%
-
Calderdale And Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 12 wks
100.0%
-
Barts Health NHS Trust London London 13 wks
54.8%
-
Mid And South Essex NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 13 wks
64.8%
68
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 13 wks
67.1%
-
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 14 wks
60.6%
1
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 14 wks
77.5%
-
The Shrewsbury And Telford Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 14 wks
65.4%
-
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 14 wks
73.7%
-
Dartford And Gravesham NHS Trust South East South East 14 wks
60.7%
1
County Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 15 wks
57.6%
1
East Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 15 wks
58.0%
1
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 15 wks
56.6%
10
Epsom And St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust London London 16 wks
60.9%
1
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 16 wks
53.7%
3
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 18 wks
50.7%
60
Wye Valley NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 21 wks
38.9%
-
Kingston And Richmond NHS Foundation Trust London London 23 wks
27.6%
26
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 24 wks
39.4%
66
Fitzwilliam Hospital East of England East of England 24 wks
30.0%
-
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 31 wks
9.5%
1
Lewisham And Greenwich NHS Trust London London 31 wks
32.8%
48

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the NHS General Medicine waiting list?

The NHS General Medicine waiting list in England has about 35,236 patients currently waiting for treatment. The typical wait is around 9 weeks (just over 2 months), based on data from 81 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 consultant 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 consultant. Nationally this currently averages about 9 weeks. In our data it ranges from as short as 1 weeks at the fastest hospital to 31 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 General Medicine patients are seen within 18 weeks?

Across the NHS, 80% of General Medicine 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.