Paediatrics Waiting Times Across the NHS

The NHS Paediatrics waiting list in England has 319,172 patients currently waiting for treatment, with a typical wait of around 11 weeks across 117 hospitals. In practice, Paediatrics waiting times range from about 2 weeks at the fastest hospital to 24 weeks at the slowest. From GP referral to first Paediatrics appointment, most patients (92%) are seen within about 32 weeks; the NHS constitutional target is 18 weeks. 4,107 patients have been on the Paediatrics waiting list for more than a year. Waits for Paediatrics are about 1.2 week shorter than in April 2025.

12-month change

Then vs now nationally

Apr 25→Apr 26
Typical wait
10.9weeks
â–¼ -1.2 wks
How long most people wait
Seen in 18 weeks
7in 10
â–² +4.6 pts
NHS aims to see everyone this fast
People waiting
319k
â–¼ -12k
On the waiting list right now
Waiting over a year
4.1k
â–¼ -4.4k
Been on the list for 12+ months
117
Hospitals you could choose from
11 weeks
How long most people wait
7 in 10
Seen within 18 weeks
4.1k
Have waited over a year

Common reasons for referral

Developmental assessments
Childhood asthma
Growth concerns
Behavioural assessments (ADHD, autism)
Paediatric allergies
Childhood eczema
Recurrent infections
Bed-wetting (enuresis)

National trend

Average paediatrics wait across England, month by month.

â–¼ -1.2 wks

All hospitals

Hospital Region Wait Within 18 Wks 52+ Wk
Isle Of Wight NHS Trust South East South East 2 wks
100.0%
-
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 3 wks
98.2%
-
Dartford And Gravesham NHS Trust South East South East 4 wks
98.5%
-
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust South East South East 5 wks
96.6%
-
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 5 wks
87.1%
-
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 6 wks
100.0%
-
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 6 wks
93.0%
-
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 6 wks
93.7%
-
Mersey And West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North West North West 6 wks
89.6%
-
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 6 wks
85.8%
-
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust East of England East of England 6 wks
88.9%
1
Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 7 wks
93.5%
-
University Hospitals Of North Midlands NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 7 wks
80.9%
28
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust London London 7 wks
86.7%
-
Harrogate And District NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 7 wks
91.2%
-
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust South West South West 7 wks
85.6%
-
Lewisham And Greenwich NHS Trust London London 7 wks
87.9%
2
Guy's And St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust London London 8 wks
81.2%
6
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 8 wks
78.7%
1
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 8 wks
93.6%
-
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust North West North West 8 wks
85.0%
2
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 8 wks
83.3%
15
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 8 wks
91.4%
1
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 8 wks
73.6%
14
Tameside And Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 8 wks
81.4%
-
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 8 wks
80.7%
22
Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust London London 9 wks
82.6%
7
University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 9 wks
73.3%
44
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 9 wks
73.3%
1
Wye Valley NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 9 wks
79.9%
-
North Cheshire And Mersey NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 9 wks
74.5%
4
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
86.5%
-
Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
72.7%
158
Doncaster And Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
76.6%
-
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
74.3%
66
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 9 wks
79.6%
1
Medway NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 9 wks
77.1%
-
Ashford And St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 9 wks
71.7%
6
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 9 wks
69.6%
8
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 9 wks
86.6%
-
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
77.8%
1
The Robert Jones And Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 10 wks
76.4%
2
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 10 wks
78.4%
-
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
74.2%
3
Calderdale And Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
84.1%
-
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust London London 10 wks
73.2%
14
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 10 wks
70.5%
-
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
83.8%
-
Kingston And Richmond NHS Foundation Trust London London 10 wks
66.2%
43
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 10 wks
73.9%
-
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 10 wks
68.9%
73
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust London London 10 wks
78.2%
-
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 10 wks
71.7%
8
South Tyneside And Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
76.0%
-
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 10 wks
68.0%
20
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 10 wks
69.9%
5
Sandwell And West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 10 wks
69.4%
34
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 10 wks
75.9%
24
Surrey And Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 10 wks
78.7%
-
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 11 wks
75.1%
-
Epsom And St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust London London 11 wks
69.0%
10
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 11 wks
71.8%
-
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
64.9%
30
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 11 wks
67.3%
-
Norfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 11 wks
66.2%
77
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
64.9%
27
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 11 wks
65.0%
89
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 11 wks
72.4%
-
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 11 wks
69.0%
201
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 11 wks
75.3%
-
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
66.9%
-
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 12 wks
69.3%
7
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 12 wks
65.1%
193
Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 12 wks
64.2%
3
Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Foundation Trust London London 12 wks
67.3%
202
The Shrewsbury And Telford Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 12 wks
74.1%
-
East Cheshire NHS Trust North West North West 12 wks
66.5%
2
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 12 wks
68.5%
8
Chelsea And Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 12 wks
67.6%
89
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 12 wks
62.6%
39
Birmingham Women's And Children's NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 12 wks
63.7%
58
County Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 12 wks
67.4%
64
University Hospitals Of Leicester NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 12 wks
63.5%
161
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 12 wks
63.3%
274
Wrightington, Wigan And Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 12 wks
63.5%
48
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 12 wks
62.5%
83
North Tees And Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 13 wks
66.1%
-
Maidstone And Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust South East South East 13 wks
62.8%
1
East Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 13 wks
64.6%
-
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust London London 13 wks
61.6%
109
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 13 wks
63.7%
11
Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 13 wks
60.3%
-
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 13 wks
60.2%
-
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 13 wks
58.6%
84
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 14 wks
57.8%
115
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 14 wks
60.9%
160
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust South West South West 14 wks
58.8%
6
University Hospitals Of Derby And Burton NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 14 wks
58.4%
10
University Hospitals Bristol And Weston NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 14 wks
58.0%
264
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 14 wks
60.0%
3
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust East of England East of England 14 wks
57.4%
61
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 15 wks
56.9%
65
University Hospitals Coventry And Warwickshire NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 15 wks
54.9%
26
Barts Health NHS Trust London London 15 wks
56.2%
273
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 15 wks
56.5%
3
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 15 wks
55.3%
-
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 16 wks
54.2%
13
Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 16 wks
56.8%
-
Barking, Havering And Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust London London 16 wks
60.5%
-
United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 17 wks
52.6%
6
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 17 wks
51.4%
8
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 17 wks
52.4%
18
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 18 wks
50.3%
1
Northern Lincolnshire And Goole NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 19 wks
48.9%
3
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust London London 20 wks
45.5%
28
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 20 wks
45.7%
23
Mid And South Essex NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 24 wks
40.1%
537

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the NHS Paediatrics waiting list?

The NHS Paediatrics waiting list in England has about 319,172 patients currently waiting for treatment. The typical wait is around 11 weeks (2½ months), based on data from 117 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 paediatrician 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 paediatrician. Nationally this currently averages about 11 weeks. In our data it ranges from as short as 2 weeks at the fastest hospital to 24 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 Paediatrics patients are seen within 18 weeks?

Across the NHS, 71% of Paediatrics 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.