South East: 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 South East NHS region?
As of March 2026, the Gera A&E Waiting Times Index for the South East NHS region is 53 / 100 (higher = longer waits), ranked 5 of 7 regions. 34.2% of the 216,273 major (Type 1) A&E patients across 17 trusts waited over 4 hours, with 6,489 waiting 12+ hours to be admitted. Gera re-dates this monthly.
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gera A&E Waiting Times Index | 53 / 100 | Higher = longer waits; high waiting |
| Type 1 4-hour breach rate | 34.2% | 65.8% seen within 4 hours |
| 12-hour DTA waits | 6,489 | 30 per 1,000 attendances |
| Type 1 attendances | 216,273 | Major A&E departments only |
| Named Type 1 providers | 17 | Aggregated in this region |
| vs England index | -3.2 | England 56.2 / 100 |
A&E Waiting Times Index by trust in South East (March 2026)
| Trust | Waiting Times Index | Within 4h | 12h waits / 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey And Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | 81.5 / 100 | 54.9% | 68.4 |
| East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust | 78.8 / 100 | 57.3% | 68.8 |
| Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust | 73.1 / 100 | 66.2% | 81.5 |
| Ashford And St Peter'S Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 67.8 / 100 | 56.8% | 39.8 |
| Medway NHS Foundation Trust | 64.2 / 100 | 69.2% | 68.1 |
| University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust | 62.1 / 100 | 60.2% | 35.9 |
| Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 59.7 / 100 | 50.7% | 1.2 |
| Isle Of Wight NHS Trust | 56.2 / 100 | 68.6% | 46.4 |
| Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust | 48.9 / 100 | 68.2% | 26.8 |
| Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust | 48 / 100 | 68.7% | 26 |
| Dartford And Gravesham NHS Trust | 45.4 / 100 | 75.7% | 40.6 |
| East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | 44.5 / 100 | 64.9% | 5.8 |
| Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust | 41.5 / 100 | 66.2% | 2.4 |
| Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust | 40.4 / 100 | 67.0% | 2.1 |
| University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust | 36.1 / 100 | 70.3% | 0.9 |
| Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 33.6 / 100 | 72.1% | 0.4 |
| Maidstone And Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust | 29.2 / 100 | 77.9% | 6.6 |
Open any trust for its full figures: Surrey And Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust · East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust · Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust · Ashford And St Peter'S Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · Medway NHS Foundation Trust · University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust · Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · Isle Of Wight NHS Trust · Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust · Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust · Dartford And Gravesham NHS Trust · East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust · Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust · Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust · University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · Maidstone And Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
A&E waits in other NHS regions
South East A&E waiting times: FAQs
- What is the A&E Waiting Times Index for South East?
- For March 2026, the Gera A&E Waiting Times Index for the South East NHS region is 53 / 100 (higher = longer waits), ranked 5 of 7 NHS England regions. 34.2% of the region's major (Type 1) A&E patients waited over 4 hours, and there were 30 12-hour decision-to-admit waits per 1,000 attendances across 17 named providers.
- Which A&E in South East has the longest waits?
- Surrey And Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust scores highest (longest waits) in South East on the Gera A&E Waiting Times Index at 81.5 / 100, with 54.9% of major-A&E patients seen within 4 hours and 68.4 12-hour trolley waits per 1,000 attendances.
- How does South East compare with England overall?
- England's national Gera A&E Waiting Times Index is 56.2 / 100 in March 2026. South East is at 53 / 100 — shorter waits than the national average. 36.1% of major A&E patients waited over 4 hours nationally, versus 34.2% in South East.
- 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 South East is 53 / 100, with 34.2% 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).