General Medicine Waiting Times Across the NHS

The NHS General Medicine waiting list in England has 35,092 patients currently waiting for treatment, with a typical wait of around 9 weeks across 82 hospitals. In practice, General Medicine waiting times range from about 1 weeks at the fastest hospital to 36 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. 495 patients have been on the General Medicine waiting list for more than a year. Waits for General Medicine are about 0.8 week shorter than in April 2025.

12-month change

Then vs now nationally

Apr 25→Apr 26
Typical wait
9.2weeks
â–¼ -0.8 wks
How long most people wait
Seen in 18 weeks
8in 10
â–² +5.9 pts
NHS aims to see everyone this fast
People waiting
35k
â–¼ -2.5k
On the waiting list right now
Waiting over a year
495
â–² +217
Been on the list for 12+ months
82
Hospitals you could choose from
9 weeks
How long most people wait
8 in 10
Seen within 18 weeks
495
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 -0.8 wks

All hospitals

Hospital Region Wait Within 18 Wks 52+ Wk
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 1 wks
94.1%
-
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 1 wks
92.1%
2
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 2 wks
93.8%
-
University Hospitals Of Leicester NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 2 wks
99.1%
-
East And North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust East of England East of England 2 wks
97.8%
-
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 2 wks
93.8%
-
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 2 wks
90.0%
-
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 3 wks
88.0%
-
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 3 wks
99.0%
-
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust East of England East of England 4 wks
100.0%
-
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 4 wks
83.1%
-
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 4 wks
97.2%
-
Hampshire And Isle Of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 4 wks
98.3%
-
North Cheshire And Mersey NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 5 wks
97.8%
-
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 5 wks
85.0%
2
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 5 wks
84.1%
-
Countess Of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 5 wks
98.3%
-
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust East of England East of England 5 wks
100.0%
-
Mersey And West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North West North West 5 wks
84.3%
1
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 5 wks
92.2%
-
North Tees And Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 5 wks
97.7%
-
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 6 wks
100.0%
-
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 6 wks
92.6%
-
Tameside And Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 6 wks
88.6%
-
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 6 wks
95.1%
-
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 6 wks
99.7%
-
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 6 wks
100.0%
-
Dorking Healthcare Limited (Dhc) South East South East 6 wks
92.0%
-
Ashford And St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 6 wks
99.1%
-
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 7 wks
98.7%
-
Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 7 wks
89.5%
-
Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust London London 7 wks
69.0%
-
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 7 wks
76.9%
-
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 7 wks
87.0%
-
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 8 wks
74.4%
-
Northern Lincolnshire And Goole NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 8 wks
81.3%
1
University Hospitals Coventry And Warwickshire NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 8 wks
88.8%
-
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 8 wks
92.1%
-
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 8 wks
89.8%
-
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 8 wks
76.5%
-
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 8 wks
83.0%
2
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 8 wks
95.1%
-
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 8 wks
86.5%
-
Guy's And St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust London London 8 wks
92.8%
-
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 8 wks
100.0%
-
University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 9 wks
77.3%
-
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust London London 9 wks
89.2%
-
The Robert Jones And Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 9 wks
90.7%
3
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 9 wks
87.2%
-
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
74.3%
-
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust South West South West 9 wks
73.8%
-
Chelsea And Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 9 wks
96.5%
-
Dartford And Gravesham NHS Trust South East South East 9 wks
69.8%
-
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 9 wks
99.6%
-
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 10 wks
60.0%
-
Calderdale And Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
98.6%
-
The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 10 wks
71.2%
-
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust London London 10 wks
67.8%
-
Medway NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 10 wks
92.4%
-
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 10 wks
76.9%
-
The Shrewsbury And Telford Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 10 wks
72.7%
-
United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 10 wks
88.8%
2
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust London London 11 wks
75.2%
-
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 11 wks
75.8%
1
Wrightington, Wigan And Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 11 wks
70.8%
-
Mid And South Essex NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 12 wks
65.7%
77
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 12 wks
67.2%
1
County Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 13 wks
64.2%
-
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 13 wks
61.9%
12
East Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 15 wks
56.8%
-
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 15 wks
72.4%
-
Barts Health NHS Trust London London 16 wks
64.9%
-
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 16 wks
56.4%
-
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 17 wks
52.0%
2
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 18 wks
52.2%
-
Epsom And St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust London London 18 wks
49.5%
1
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 19 wks
49.0%
229
Kingston And Richmond NHS Foundation Trust London London 19 wks
48.4%
-
Wye Valley NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 22 wks
44.1%
-
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 24 wks
36.9%
73
Fitzwilliam Hospital East of England East of England 32 wks
35.0%
1
Lewisham And Greenwich NHS Trust London London 36 wks
38.8%
85

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 General Medicine waiting list?

The NHS General Medicine waiting list in England has about 35,092 patients currently waiting for treatment. The typical wait is around 9 weeks (2 months), based on data from 82 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 36 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, 81% 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.