Paediatrics Waiting Times Across the NHS

The NHS Paediatrics waiting list in England has 315,109 patients currently waiting for treatment, with a typical wait of around 12 weeks across 118 hospitals. In practice, Paediatrics waiting times range from about 2 weeks at the fastest hospital to 23 weeks at the slowest. From GP referral to first Paediatrics appointment, most patients (92%) are seen within about 33 weeks; the NHS constitutional target is 18 weeks. 4,646 patients have been on the Paediatrics waiting list for more than a year. Waits for Paediatrics are about 1.2 week shorter than in February 2025.

12-month change

Then vs now nationally

Feb 25→Feb 26
Typical wait
11.7weeks
â–¼ -1.2 wks
How long most people wait
Seen in 18 weeks
7in 10
â–² +3.2 pts
NHS aims to see everyone this fast
People waiting
315k
â–¼ -17k
On the waiting list right now
Waiting over a year
4.6k
â–¼ -4k
Been on the list for 12+ months
118
Hospitals you could choose from
12 weeks
How long most people wait
7 in 10
Seen within 18 weeks
4.6k
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
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 2 wks
98.1%
-
Isle Of Wight NHS Trust South East South East 3 wks
100.0%
-
Dartford And Gravesham NHS Trust South East South East 4 wks
96.5%
-
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 5 wks
84.3%
-
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust South East South East 5 wks
96.6%
1
Torbay And South Devon NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 5 wks
88.7%
-
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 5 wks
92.6%
-
Mersey And West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North West North West 5 wks
86.0%
2
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 6 wks
86.3%
-
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 6 wks
93.2%
-
Tameside And Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 6 wks
84.4%
-
University Hospitals Of North Midlands NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 6 wks
78.7%
27
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust East of England East of England 6 wks
88.5%
1
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 6 wks
100.0%
-
Medway NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 6 wks
93.2%
-
Harrogate And District NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 7 wks
88.8%
-
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 7 wks
98.7%
-
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 7 wks
85.9%
-
Warrington And Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 7 wks
80.2%
7
Doncaster And Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 7 wks
82.6%
-
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 7 wks
97.3%
-
Lewisham And Greenwich NHS Trust London London 7 wks
86.7%
-
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust London London 7 wks
82.5%
-
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust South West South West 8 wks
84.6%
-
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 8 wks
73.1%
17
Calderdale And Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 8 wks
88.2%
-
Guy's And St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust London London 8 wks
78.1%
18
Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 8 wks
75.2%
-
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 8 wks
86.7%
-
University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 8 wks
73.8%
35
Surrey And Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 8 wks
82.0%
-
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust North West North West 8 wks
81.1%
5
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 9 wks
75.0%
-
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 9 wks
72.4%
1
Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust London London 9 wks
78.0%
6
Ashford And St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 9 wks
71.0%
9
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 9 wks
73.2%
46
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
74.6%
56
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 10 wks
85.4%
-
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
74.9%
1
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 10 wks
71.4%
15
South Tyneside And Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
78.2%
-
Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 10 wks
69.6%
154
Kingston And Richmond NHS Foundation Trust London London 10 wks
68.7%
52
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 11 wks
75.6%
-
The Robert Jones And Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
76.7%
2
Wye Valley NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
72.7%
-
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 11 wks
73.8%
34
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
68.2%
-
Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
69.8%
-
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 11 wks
73.4%
-
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
76.6%
-
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 11 wks
67.3%
-
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 11 wks
64.7%
27
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 11 wks
79.9%
-
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 11 wks
73.3%
9
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 12 wks
69.0%
6
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust London London 12 wks
69.1%
-
Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Foundation Trust London London 12 wks
68.1%
199
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 12 wks
69.4%
-
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 12 wks
68.1%
2
North Tees And Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 12 wks
69.1%
-
Wrightington, Wigan And Leigh NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 12 wks
63.7%
47
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 12 wks
65.9%
141
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust London London 12 wks
66.1%
21
Epsom And St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust London London 12 wks
67.8%
14
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 12 wks
66.3%
8
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 12 wks
64.1%
-
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 13 wks
65.6%
10
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 13 wks
63.6%
232
Sandwell And West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 13 wks
62.7%
49
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 13 wks
59.8%
42
Maidstone And Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust South East South East 13 wks
64.5%
1
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 13 wks
60.1%
261
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 13 wks
60.7%
180
Chelsea And Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London London 13 wks
63.2%
73
Norfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 13 wks
60.8%
76
East Cheshire NHS Trust North West North West 14 wks
62.5%
5
University Hospitals Of Leicester NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 14 wks
61.4%
128
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 14 wks
69.1%
-
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 14 wks
60.3%
131
East Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 14 wks
69.1%
-
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 14 wks
60.9%
18
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 14 wks
62.6%
46
Birmingham Women's And Children's NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 14 wks
60.6%
73
Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 14 wks
62.0%
1
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust London London 14 wks
61.2%
91
County Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 14 wks
61.1%
66
The Shrewsbury And Telford Hospital NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 14 wks
69.3%
-
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 14 wks
59.3%
193
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust London London 15 wks
59.0%
156
University Hospitals Coventry And Warwickshire NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 15 wks
58.8%
2
University Hospitals Bristol And Weston NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 15 wks
57.7%
197
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 15 wks
56.1%
95
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 15 wks
63.3%
-
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 16 wks
55.0%
6
University Hospitals Of Derby And Burton NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 16 wks
55.6%
24
Barts Health NHS Trust London London 16 wks
54.4%
339
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 16 wks
54.9%
19
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust Midlands Midlands 16 wks
57.6%
29
Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust South West South West 16 wks
57.9%
-
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 16 wks
54.3%
1
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 16 wks
53.9%
335
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 16 wks
54.1%
30
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 16 wks
58.2%
1
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust East of England East of England 16 wks
53.8%
17
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust London London 17 wks
54.7%
10
Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 17 wks
52.8%
97
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust South West South West 17 wks
51.9%
31
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust South East South East 17 wks
52.2%
3
Northern Lincolnshire And Goole NHS Foundation Trust North East and Yorkshire North East and Yorkshire 17 wks
51.2%
1
United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 18 wks
49.4%
3
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Midlands Midlands 19 wks
47.3%
5
Barking, Havering And Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust London London 20 wks
41.2%
-
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust South East South East 22 wks
43.9%
20
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 22 wks
39.8%
22
Mid And South Essex NHS Foundation Trust East of England East of England 23 wks
40.3%
547
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust North West North West 23 wks
38.4%
17

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 Paediatrics waiting list?

The NHS Paediatrics waiting list in England has about 315,109 patients currently waiting for treatment. The typical wait is around 12 weeks (nearly 3 months), based on data from 118 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 12 weeks. In our data it ranges from as short as 2 weeks at the fastest hospital to 23 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, 70% 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.