North West: A&E Waiting Times Index
Real NHS England A&E waiting-time data for March 2026, across the 17 major (Type 1) A&E providers in this NHS region — scored on the Gera A&E Waiting Times Index (higher = longer waits).
How long are A&E waits in the North West NHS region?
As of March 2026, the Gera A&E Waiting Times Index for the North West NHS region is 66.5 / 100 (higher = longer waits), ranked 1 of 7 regions. 38.6% of the 196,418 major (Type 1) A&E patients across 17 trusts waited over 4 hours, with 9,893 waiting 12+ hours to be admitted. Gera re-dates this monthly.
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gera A&E Waiting Times Index | 66.5 / 100 | Higher = longer waits; severe waiting |
| Type 1 4-hour breach rate | 38.6% | 61.4% seen within 4 hours |
| 12-hour DTA waits | 9,893 | 50.4 per 1,000 attendances |
| Type 1 attendances | 196,418 | Major A&E departments only |
| Named Type 1 providers | 17 | Aggregated in this region |
| vs England index | +10.3 | England 56.2 / 100 |
A&E Waiting Times Index by trust in North West (March 2026)
| Trust | Waiting Times Index | Within 4h | 12h waits / 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Countess Of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 100 / 100 | 49.1% | 143.6 |
| Warrington And Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 98 / 100 | 51.7% | 128.7 |
| East Cheshire NHS Trust | 95.6 / 100 | 49.3% | 88.9 |
| Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 95.4 / 100 | 47.4% | 88.6 |
| Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 89.6 / 100 | 48.3% | 73.9 |
| Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 82.5 / 100 | 54.2% | 68.7 |
| University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust | 82.3 / 100 | 56.4% | 74.9 |
| Bolton NHS Foundation Trust | 69.6 / 100 | 56.5% | 43.4 |
| East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | 64.9 / 100 | 69.3% | 70.2 |
| Tameside And Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust | 62.8 / 100 | 58.1% | 31.3 |
| Stockport NHS Foundation Trust | 58.7 / 100 | 61.7% | 31.8 |
| Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust | 58.3 / 100 | 65.3% | 41.5 |
| Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 55.5 / 100 | 64.1% | 31 |
| Mersey And West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | 54 / 100 | 64.5% | 28.5 |
| Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 52.9 / 100 | 66.1% | 30.4 |
| Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | 41.1 / 100 | 66.4% | 2 |
| Alder Hey Children'S NHS Foundation Trust | 19.8 / 100 | 83.5% | 0 |
Open any trust for its full figures: Countess Of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust · Warrington And Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · East Cheshire NHS Trust · Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust · Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust · Bolton NHS Foundation Trust · East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust · Tameside And Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust · Stockport NHS Foundation Trust · Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust · Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · Mersey And West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust · Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust · Alder Hey Children'S NHS Foundation Trust
A&E waits in other NHS regions
North West A&E waiting times: FAQs
- What is the A&E Waiting Times Index for North West?
- For March 2026, the Gera A&E Waiting Times Index for the North West NHS region is 66.5 / 100 (higher = longer waits), ranked 1 of 7 NHS England regions. 38.6% of the region's major (Type 1) A&E patients waited over 4 hours, and there were 50.4 12-hour decision-to-admit waits per 1,000 attendances across 17 named providers.
- Which A&E in North West has the longest waits?
- Countess Of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust scores highest (longest waits) in North West on the Gera A&E Waiting Times Index at 100 / 100, with 49.1% of major-A&E patients seen within 4 hours and 143.6 12-hour trolley waits per 1,000 attendances.
- How does North West compare with England overall?
- England's national Gera A&E Waiting Times Index is 56.2 / 100 in March 2026. North West is at 66.5 / 100 — longer waits than the national average. 36.1% of major A&E patients waited over 4 hours nationally, versus 38.6% in North West.
- Should I still go to A&E if waits are long?
- For a serious or life-threatening emergency, always go to A&E or call 999 — long average waits do not change that. For a non-emergency, NHS 111, a pharmacy, your GP or a private online consultation may be faster. GeraClinic connects patients with UK-registered doctors by video; it is a private telemedicine service and is not affiliated with the NHS.
Avoid a long A&E wait for a non-emergency
The A&E Waiting Times Index across North West is 66.5 / 100, with 38.6% of major-A&E patients waiting over 4 hours. For a non-emergency, see a UK-registered GeraClinic doctor online, often the same day — a private service, not affiliated with the NHS. For a 999 emergency always call 999.
Contains public sector information published by Gera Systems and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (source data). Source: Gera A&E Waiting Times Index — derived from NHS England A&E open data (March 2026, published 3 July 2026).