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

General Surgery Waiting Times Across the NHS

The NHS General Surgery waiting list in England has 384,293 patients currently waiting for treatment, with a typical wait of around 12 weeks across 257 hospitals. In practice, General Surgery waiting times range from about 2 weeks at the fastest hospital to 31 weeks at the slowest. From GP referral to first General Surgery appointment, most patients (92%) are seen within about 33 weeks; the NHS constitutional target is 18 weeks. 8,197 patients have been on the General Surgery waiting list for more than a year. Waits for General Surgery haven't really changed since August 2025.

12-month change

Then vs now nationally

Aug 25→Aug 26
Typical wait
11.7weeks
â–¼ -0.3 wks
How long most people wait
Seen in 18 weeks
7in 10
No change
NHS aims to see everyone this fast
People waiting
384k
â–¼ -11k
On the waiting list right now
Waiting over a year
8.2k
â–¼ -3.2k
Been on the list for 12+ months
257
Hospitals you could choose from
12 weeks
How long most people wait
7 in 10
Seen within 18 weeks
8.2k
Have waited over a year

Common reasons for referral

Hernia repair
Gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy)
Appendix removal
Bowel surgery
Thyroid surgery
Haemorrhoid treatment
Varicose vein surgery
Abscess drainage
Lipoma removal

National trend

Average general surgery wait across England, month by month.

â–¼ -0.3 wks

All hospitals

Hospital Region Wait Within 18 Wks 52+ Wk
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 2 wks
89.3%
4
Nuffield Health Parkside Hospital London London 3 wks
95.0%
-
Dorking Healthcare Limited (Dhc) South East South East 4 wks
100.0%
-
Bmi The Huddersfield Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 4 wks
94.8%
-
Independent Health Group South West South West 5 wks
98.8%
-
Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - St Marys Portsmouth South East South East 5 wks
93.9%
-
Bmi - Bishops Wood London London 5 wks
96.9%
-
Nuffield Health Highgate Hospital London London 5 wks
95.3%
-
Bmi - Chelsfield Park Hospital London London 5 wks
91.0%
-
Bmi - The Clementine Churchill Hospital London London 5 wks
100.0%
-
Kims Hospital (Newnham Court) South East South East 6 wks
96.3%
-
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 6 wks
91.2%
-
Probus Surgical Centre South West South West 6 wks
88.6%
-
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 6 wks
76.4%
2
Bmi Southend Private Hospital East of England East of England 6 wks
92.2%
-
Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - Gillingham South East South East 6 wks
92.5%
-
The Royal Buckinghamshire Hospital Ltd South East South East 6 wks
89.2%
-
Bmi - The Blackheath Hospital London London 6 wks
80.3%
-
Practice Plus Group Hospital Birmingham Midlands Midlands 6 wks
90.1%
1
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 6 wks
85.3%
-
Bmi The Duchy Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 7 wks
85.2%
-
The Berkshire Independent Hospital South East South East 7 wks
86.7%
-
Spire Cheshire Hospital North West North West 7 wks
86.6%
-
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust London London 7 wks
87.8%
-
Spire Elland Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 7 wks
81.6%
-
Bmi - The Chiltern Hospital South East South East 7 wks
88.6%
-
The Hamptons Hospital Ltd East of England East of England 7 wks
90.5%
-
Bmi - The Highfield Hospital North West North West 7 wks
82.2%
-
Bmi The Lancaster Hospital North West North West 7 wks
95.3%
-
Bmi - The Runnymede Hospital South East South East 7 wks
100.0%
-
Bmi - The Chaucer Hospital South East South East 7 wks
85.1%
-
Spire Methley Park Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 7 wks
93.1%
-
Nuffield Health, Wolverhampton Hospital Midlands Midlands 7 wks
97.2%
1
Spire South Bank Hospital Midlands Midlands 7 wks
87.0%
-
Spire Murrayfield Hospital North West North West 7 wks
84.2%
3
South Tyneside And Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 7 wks
84.1%
-
Bmi - Shirley Oaks Hospital London London 7 wks
85.7%
-
Bmi - The Ridgeway Hospital South West South West 7 wks
96.7%
-
Bmi - Goring Hall Hospital South East South East 7 wks
84.6%
1
Fulwood Hall Hospital North West North West 7 wks
82.3%
-
Spire Hartswood Hospital East of England East of England 7 wks
81.0%
-
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 8 wks
78.2%
5
One Ashford Hospital South East South East 8 wks
77.8%
-
Benenden Hospital South East South East 8 wks
85.4%
-
The One Health Group Ltd North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 8 wks
86.7%
2
Nuffield Health, Warwickshire Hospital Midlands Midlands 8 wks
83.2%
1
Circle Reading Hospital South East South East 8 wks
79.1%
-
Spire Harpenden Hospital East of England East of England 8 wks
90.2%
-
Beacon Park Hospital Midlands Midlands 8 wks
70.0%
-
Bmi - The London Independent Hospital London London 8 wks
84.7%
-
Bmi - The Meriden Hospital Midlands Midlands 8 wks
82.9%
-
Spire Bushey Hospital East of England East of England 8 wks
97.2%
-
Tameside And Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 8 wks
78.0%
-
Spire St Anthony's Hospital London London 8 wks
89.4%
1
Bmi - Thornbury Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 8 wks
84.6%
-
Bmi Mount Alvernia Hospital South East South East 8 wks
82.9%
-
Blakelands Hospital East of England East of England 8 wks
79.9%
-
Buckshaw Hospital North West North West 8 wks
79.0%
1
Spire Leeds Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 8 wks
89.4%
-
Practice Plus Group Hospital - Emersons Green South West South West 8 wks
88.0%
-
Spire Liverpool Hospital North West North West 8 wks
85.3%
1
Woodthorpe Hospital Midlands Midlands 8 wks
83.4%
-
Tees Valley Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
80.0%
-
Epsomedical Group South East South East 9 wks
80.4%
6
Bmi - The Sloane Hospital London London 9 wks
89.5%
-
Bmi - The Beardwood Hospital North West North West 9 wks
85.7%
-
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 9 wks
67.0%
15
Modality Llp Midlands Midlands 9 wks
92.1%
2
Spire Regency Hospital North West North West 9 wks
81.9%
-
Oaklands Hospital North West North West 9 wks
82.8%
-
Ashtead Hospital South East South East 9 wks
82.8%
-
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
91.4%
-
The Westbourne Centre Midlands Midlands 9 wks
79.4%
-
Spire Fylde Coast Hospital North West North West 9 wks
72.4%
-
Boston West Hospital Midlands Midlands 9 wks
70.9%
-
Bmi - The Winterbourne Hospital South West South West 9 wks
88.9%
-
Bmi Woodlands Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
80.1%
-
Bmi - Hendon Hospital London London 9 wks
78.8%
1
Fairfield Independent Hospital North West North West 9 wks
79.2%
-
Manchester Surgical Services Ltd North West North West 9 wks
91.0%
-
Bmi - Bath Clinic South West South West 9 wks
84.2%
-
Stourside Hospital Midlands Midlands 9 wks
79.2%
-
Practice Plus Group Hospital - Southampton South East South East 9 wks
80.5%
1
Spire Nottingham Hospital Midlands Midlands 10 wks
79.9%
-
Calderdale And Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
73.4%
-
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
77.8%
1
Spire Clare Park Hospital South East South East 10 wks
86.0%
-
Bmi St Edmunds Hospital East of England East of England 10 wks
87.5%
-
Bmi - The Beaumont Hospital North West North West 10 wks
64.9%
1
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 10 wks
77.8%
-
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 10 wks
81.5%
1
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
68.0%
18
Mount Stuart Hospital South West South West 10 wks
81.7%
-
St Hugh's Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
79.5%
-
The Shrewsbury And Telford Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 10 wks
73.6%
-
Tyneside Surgical Services Ltd North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
83.3%
1
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 10 wks
83.0%
14
Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 10 wks
77.7%
8
Norwich & Norfolk Surgical Ltd (N2s) East of England East of England 10 wks
69.9%
-
Spire Manchester Hospital North West North West 10 wks
93.8%
-
Spire Alexandra Hospital South East South East 10 wks
87.7%
-
University Hospitals Bristol And Weston NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 10 wks
74.3%
-
Harrogate And District NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
71.4%
-
Spire Dunedin Hospital South East South East 10 wks
79.1%
-
Warrington And Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 11 wks
75.8%
2
Sulis Hospital Bath (Foxcote Avenue) South West South West 11 wks
69.8%
-
North Downs Hospital South East South East 11 wks
68.9%
-
Bmi - The Alexandra Hospital North West North West 11 wks
67.5%
-
Euxton Hall Hospital North West North West 11 wks
69.7%
2
Nuffield Health, Derby Hospital Midlands Midlands 11 wks
71.2%
-
Doncaster And Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 11 wks
69.5%
10
Practice Plus Group Hospital - Ilford London London 11 wks
68.2%
9
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 11 wks
73.0%
26
Nuffield Health The Holly Hospital East of England East of England 11 wks
67.4%
1
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 11 wks
73.5%
21
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 11 wks
68.4%
2
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
69.1%
6
South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
72.5%
38
Maidstone And Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust South East South East 11 wks
70.2%
-
Bmi - Three Shires Hospital Midlands Midlands 11 wks
71.1%
2
The Yorkshire Clinic North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 11 wks
67.2%
4
Spire Washington Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 11 wks
76.1%
-
Ashford And St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 11 wks
76.5%
2
Duchy Hospital South West South West 11 wks
77.1%
-
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 11 wks
68.0%
32
West Midlands Hospital Midlands Midlands 12 wks
70.9%
-
Rivers Hospital East of England East of England 12 wks
67.6%
1
Woodland Hospital Midlands Midlands 12 wks
69.2%
-
Portsmouth Hospitals University National Health Service Trust South East South East 12 wks
65.9%
148
The New Foscote Hospital Ltd London London 12 wks
83.6%
-
Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 12 wks
86.8%
-
One Stop Doctors Limited East of England East of England 12 wks
71.6%
4
Bmi - The Kings Oak Hospital London London 12 wks
65.5%
-
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 12 wks
64.7%
15
Pinehill Hospital East of England East of England 12 wks
69.4%
18
Lewisham And Greenwich NHS Trust London London 12 wks
68.3%
106
Glendon Wood Hospital Midlands Midlands 12 wks
71.2%
-
Winfield Hospital South West South West 12 wks
65.2%
1
East And North Hertfordshire NHS Trust East of England East of England 12 wks
66.3%
5
Countess Of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 12 wks
66.8%
3
Barts Health NHS Trust London London 12 wks
65.8%
33
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust East of England East of England 12 wks
66.8%
47
Practice Plus Group Hospital - Barlborough Midlands Midlands 12 wks
71.0%
-
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 12 wks
68.6%
17
New Hall Hospital South West South West 12 wks
75.6%
-
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 12 wks
62.7%
65
Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - Devizes South West South West 12 wks
69.0%
-
Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 12 wks
63.3%
7
Spire Montefiore Hospital South East South East 12 wks
68.4%
4
Medway NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 12 wks
68.5%
4
Nuffield Health, Bournemouth Hospital South West South West 12 wks
72.9%
-
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust North West North West 12 wks
64.0%
-
Sandwell And West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 12 wks
63.9%
13
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 12 wks
66.8%
4
Practice Plus Group Hospital - Plymouth South West South West 12 wks
86.7%
1
Nuffield Health, Tees Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 12 wks
65.8%
-
Spire Leicester Hospital Midlands Midlands 12 wks
67.6%
-
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust London London 12 wks
65.7%
5
Spencer Private Hospitals Ltd South East South East 12 wks
64.2%
3
Spire Gatwick Park Hospital South East South East 12 wks
66.7%
1
Nuffield Health, North Staffordshire Hospital Midlands Midlands 12 wks
71.4%
1
Rowley Hall Hospital Midlands Midlands 12 wks
68.9%
-
University Hospitals Of Leicester NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 13 wks
66.7%
96
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 13 wks
65.3%
8
Whittington Health NHS Trust London London 13 wks
63.8%
72
Wye Valley NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 13 wks
62.9%
-
Spire Little Aston Hospital Midlands Midlands 13 wks
76.2%
-
Bmi - The Saxon Clinic East of England East of England 13 wks
60.2%
4
East Cheshire NHS Trust North West North West 13 wks
63.9%
18
Springfield Hospital East of England East of England 13 wks
67.8%
6
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 13 wks
60.6%
45
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 13 wks
62.5%
19
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 13 wks
59.0%
1
Bmi - The Manor Hospital East of England East of England 13 wks
60.2%
6
Spire Parkway Hospital Midlands Midlands 13 wks
67.0%
2
Bmi - The Droitwich Spa Hospital Midlands Midlands 13 wks
63.0%
-
University Hospitals Of North Midlands NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 13 wks
60.0%
356
Practice Plus Group Hospital - Shepton Mallet South West South West 13 wks
65.9%
-
Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 13 wks
66.1%
1
Bmi - The Park Hospital Midlands Midlands 13 wks
68.9%
9
University Hospitals Coventry And Warwickshire NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 13 wks
61.1%
356
County Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 13 wks
59.8%
292
Bmi The Lincoln Hospital Midlands Midlands 14 wks
63.6%
-
Renacres Hospital North West North West 14 wks
57.5%
17
One Hatfield Hospital East of England East of England 14 wks
60.4%
-
Royal Devon And Exeter NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 14 wks
62.9%
17
Surrey And Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 14 wks
59.2%
127
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 14 wks
58.6%
490
Spire London East London London 14 wks
66.0%
6
Norfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 14 wks
60.6%
99
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust London London 14 wks
66.0%
12
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 14 wks
57.3%
43
Northern Lincolnshire And Goole NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 14 wks
59.7%
117
Spire Wellesley Hospital East of England East of England 14 wks
64.4%
-
Epsom And St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust London London 14 wks
60.1%
66
St Helens And Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North West North West 14 wks
60.3%
174
Isle Of Wight NHS Trust South East South East 14 wks
57.6%
10
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 14 wks
61.8%
22
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 14 wks
59.4%
43
University Hospitals Of Derby And Burton NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 14 wks
57.5%
183
North Tees And Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 14 wks
59.6%
27
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 14 wks
59.0%
34
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 15 wks
58.4%
4
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust London London 15 wks
58.6%
2
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 15 wks
57.6%
283
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 15 wks
56.9%
44
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 15 wks
57.4%
-
Cobalt Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 15 wks
57.6%
7
Nuffield Health, Haywards Heath Hospital South East South East 15 wks
57.4%
8
Chelsea And Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 15 wks
59.2%
97
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust South West South West 15 wks
57.3%
27
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 15 wks
58.8%
2
Nuffield Health, Exeter Hospital South West South West 15 wks
58.7%
10
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 15 wks
57.1%
1
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 15 wks
58.0%
7
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 15 wks
59.4%
172
Dartford And Gravesham NHS Trust South East South East 15 wks
56.1%
467
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 15 wks
57.5%
5
Bmi The Cavell Hospital London London 15 wks
57.1%
1
Nuffield Health, Plymouth Hospital South West South West 16 wks
63.5%
1
Guy's And St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust London London 16 wks
55.8%
1
Fitzwilliam Hospital East of England East of England 16 wks
56.4%
19
Spire Hull And East Riding Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 16 wks
52.8%
-
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 16 wks
55.2%
52
Barking, Havering And Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust London London 16 wks
56.4%
200
East Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 16 wks
54.9%
53
Mid And South Essex NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 16 wks
52.9%
895
Nuffield Health, Bristol Hospital (Chesterfield) South West South West 16 wks
74.1%
-
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 16 wks
55.4%
21
West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust East of England East of England 16 wks
54.3%
64
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 16 wks
53.4%
38
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 17 wks
52.6%
21
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 17 wks
53.7%
25
Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital East of England East of England 18 wks
52.2%
-
Spire Thames Valley Hospital South East South East 18 wks
50.0%
4
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 18 wks
49.8%
14
Oaks Hospital East of England East of England 19 wks
47.8%
1
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 19 wks
48.5%
479
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 19 wks
48.0%
35
Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 19 wks
47.7%
1
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 19 wks
48.4%
66
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 19 wks
48.1%
39
University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 19 wks
48.3%
69
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 20 wks
46.7%
-
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 20 wks
47.2%
67
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 20 wks
46.4%
7
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 20 wks
46.3%
1
Wrightington, Wigan And Leigh NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 20 wks
44.5%
134
Nuffield Health, The Grosvenor Hospital, Chester North West North West 21 wks
42.4%
-
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust London London 21 wks
44.5%
164
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 22 wks
42.6%
193
Claremont Private Hospital North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 23 wks
40.5%
14
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 24 wks
40.1%
329
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 24 wks
42.2%
175
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 25 wks
37.2%
338
Nuffield Health, Brighton Hospital South East South East 26 wks
0.0%
-
Nuffield Health, Brentwood Hospital East of England East of England 31 wks
34.2%
7

Patient experiences

Stories from people who've been through this department. (2 reviews)

A
Anonymous
May 2026
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

after second apinion went well

not good after first referal scanes ware a brace had dye put around vaines 9 mounths later had second refural with difrent doctor i already had ful knee and parsal we desided the full knee nead replacemen then do the right knee . last year had prostait problems and have been in pain in my right knee i have been refured again so how long will it be the day of my opp and over night stay 100%

A
Anonymous
May 2026
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

pain clinic lower back pain

that was OK. but I'm 19 months on and my pain has not be diagnosed yet and have had no treatment for pain relief yet. You have lumbar medial block then I've waited 13 months just for the next step in the procedure. Will I have to wait another year for actual injection for pain relief. ??
The waiting times are CRUEL. I actually hurt my back 2 years ago.
I'm a depressed and sad person now

Referred 2024-10-21 Waited ~20 weeks

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the NHS General Surgery waiting list?

The NHS General Surgery waiting list in England has about 384,293 patients currently waiting for treatment. The typical wait is around 12 weeks (nearly 3 months), based on data from 257 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 general surgeon 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 general surgeon. Nationally this currently averages about 12 weeks. In our data it ranges from as short as 2 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 Surgery patients are seen within 18 weeks?

Across the NHS, 71% of General Surgery 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.