GeraClinic / NHS mental health waiting times
NHS Talking Therapies Waiting Times by Area
How long is the NHS wait for therapy or counselling where you live? In February 2026, the England median wait to a first NHS Talking Therapies appointment was 19.0 days, with 88.6% starting within 6 weeks. Compare all 42 Integrated Care Boards below. Official NHS England data.
What is the average NHS talking therapies waiting time in England?
As of February 2026, the median wait to a first NHS Talking Therapies appointment in England was 19.0 days (mean 26.4 days), with 88.6% of people starting treatment within 6 weeks of referral and 47.3% reliably recovering, per NHS England Talking Therapies data published 16 April 2026.
The GMHAI averages three real NHS Talking Therapies components per area β wait load against the 42-day six-week standard, reliable-recovery shortfall, and six-week access gap β each scored 0β100. Higher means harder access. NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB has the hardest access (72); NHS Lincolnshire ICB the easiest (23).
| Integrated Care Board | Mean wait | % within 6 weeks | Reliable recovery | Gera MH Access Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB | 75.4 days | 33.7% | 51.1% | 72 / 100 |
| NHS Black Country ICB | 49.2 days | 69.4% | 44.1% | 62 / 100 |
| NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB | 42.5 days | 67.6% | 47.6% | 62 / 100 |
| NHS Greater Manchester ICB | 38.4 days | 78.4% | 42.9% | 57 / 100 |
| NHS South Yorkshire ICB | 65.7 days | 88.1% | 47.0% | 55 / 100 |
| NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB | 31.4 days | 71.5% | 48.3% | 52 / 100 |
| NHS Northamptonshire ICB | 35.5 days | 80.0% | 51.0% | 51 / 100 |
| NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB | 35.5 days | 82.2% | 51.2% | 50 / 100 |
| NHS Somerset ICB | 28.0 days | 71.4% | 44.6% | 50 / 100 |
| NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB | 35.3 days | 88.7% | 47.2% | 49 / 100 |
| NHS Dorset ICB | 30.7 days | 91.0% | 39.4% | 48 / 100 |
| NHS North East London ICB | 32.5 days | 88.0% | 49.3% | 47 / 100 |
| NHS Devon ICB | 31.4 days | 88.4% | 46.5% | 47 / 100 |
| NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB | 26.3 days | 89.0% | 42.8% | 44 / 100 |
| NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB | 23.3 days | 74.2% | 50.3% | 44 / 100 |
| NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB | 32.2 days | 96.9% | 49.2% | 44 / 100 |
| NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB | 25.8 days | 89.0% | 44.9% | 43 / 100 |
| NHS North Central London ICB | 25.9 days | 86.1% | 46.2% | 43 / 100 |
| NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB | 29.8 days | 92.6% | 50.9% | 42 / 100 |
| NHS South East London ICB | 23.0 days | 88.6% | 46.7% | 40 / 100 |
| NHS Sussex ICB | 22.3 days | 89.4% | 44.9% | 40 / 100 |
| NHS Frimley ICB | 24.2 days | 90.5% | 46.7% | 40 / 100 |
| NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB | 23.3 days | 87.4% | 47.7% | 40 / 100 |
| NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB | 22.2 days | 87.3% | 47.2% | 39 / 100 |
| NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly ICB | 25.3 days | 93.3% | 53.4% | 38 / 100 |
| NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB | 19.5 days | 87.9% | 46.8% | 37 / 100 |
| NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB | 19.7 days | 89.3% | 47.9% | 37 / 100 |
| NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB | 22.0 days | 91.0% | 51.4% | 37 / 100 |
| NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB | 22.7 days | 96.7% | 47.9% | 36 / 100 |
| NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB | 19.9 days | 94.9% | 46.2% | 35 / 100 |
| NHS West Yorkshire ICB | 19.2 days | 91.6% | 48.6% | 35 / 100 |
| NHS South West London ICB | 19.5 days | 95.5% | 47.3% | 35 / 100 |
| NHS Gloucestershire ICB | 20.5 days | 93.9% | 51.0% | 35 / 100 |
| NHS North West London ICB | 17.6 days | 96.0% | 45.2% | 34 / 100 |
| NHS Kent and Medway ICB | 20.2 days | 97.7% | 47.9% | 34 / 100 |
| NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB | 15.5 days | 98.9% | 46.4% | 31 / 100 |
| NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB | 14.2 days | 95.3% | 47.4% | 30 / 100 |
| NHS Coventry and Warwickshire ICB | 13.2 days | 98.2% | 47.0% | 29 / 100 |
| NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB | 11.7 days | 95.9% | 45.8% | 29 / 100 |
| NHS Mid and South Essex ICB | 11.4 days | 97.8% | 53.1% | 25 / 100 |
| NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB | 9.8 days | 99.7% | 48.8% | 25 / 100 |
| NHS Lincolnshire ICB | 8.4 days | 99.4% | 50.6% | 23 / 100 |
Check your area's mental health access
Pick your ICB and concern to see the real wait, recovery rate, and Gera MH Access Index
Select your ICB to see its real latest NHS Talking Therapies mean wait, six-week access rate, recovery rate, and Gera Mental Health Access Index.
NHS Talking Therapies waiting times by ICB
- NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB (75.4 days mean, GMHAI 72)
- NHS Black Country ICB (49.2 days mean, GMHAI 62)
- NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB (42.5 days mean, GMHAI 62)
- NHS Greater Manchester ICB (38.4 days mean, GMHAI 57)
- NHS South Yorkshire ICB (65.7 days mean, GMHAI 55)
- NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB (31.4 days mean, GMHAI 52)
- NHS Northamptonshire ICB (35.5 days mean, GMHAI 51)
- NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB (35.5 days mean, GMHAI 50)
- NHS Somerset ICB (28.0 days mean, GMHAI 50)
- NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB (35.3 days mean, GMHAI 49)
- NHS Dorset ICB (30.7 days mean, GMHAI 48)
- NHS North East London ICB (32.5 days mean, GMHAI 47)
- NHS Devon ICB (31.4 days mean, GMHAI 47)
- NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB (26.3 days mean, GMHAI 44)
- NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB (23.3 days mean, GMHAI 44)
- NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB (32.2 days mean, GMHAI 44)
- NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB (25.8 days mean, GMHAI 43)
- NHS North Central London ICB (25.9 days mean, GMHAI 43)
- NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB (29.8 days mean, GMHAI 42)
- NHS South East London ICB (23.0 days mean, GMHAI 40)
- NHS Sussex ICB (22.3 days mean, GMHAI 40)
- NHS Frimley ICB (24.2 days mean, GMHAI 40)
- NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB (23.3 days mean, GMHAI 40)
- NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB (22.2 days mean, GMHAI 39)
- NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly ICB (25.3 days mean, GMHAI 38)
- NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB (19.5 days mean, GMHAI 37)
- NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB (19.7 days mean, GMHAI 37)
- NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB (22.0 days mean, GMHAI 37)
- NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB (22.7 days mean, GMHAI 36)
- NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB (19.9 days mean, GMHAI 35)
- NHS West Yorkshire ICB (19.2 days mean, GMHAI 35)
- NHS South West London ICB (19.5 days mean, GMHAI 35)
- NHS Gloucestershire ICB (20.5 days mean, GMHAI 35)
- NHS North West London ICB (17.6 days mean, GMHAI 34)
- NHS Kent and Medway ICB (20.2 days mean, GMHAI 34)
- NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB (15.5 days mean, GMHAI 31)
- NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB (14.2 days mean, GMHAI 30)
- NHS Coventry and Warwickshire ICB (13.2 days mean, GMHAI 29)
- NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB (11.7 days mean, GMHAI 29)
- NHS Mid and South Essex ICB (11.4 days mean, GMHAI 25)
- NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB (9.8 days mean, GMHAI 25)
- NHS Lincolnshire ICB (8.4 days mean, GMHAI 23)
NHS talking therapies waiting times: FAQs
- What is the average NHS talking therapies waiting time in England?
- In February 2026, the median wait to a first NHS Talking Therapies treatment appointment in England was 19.0 days and the mean was 26.4 days. 88.6% of people started treatment within 6 weeks of referral β above the 75% national standard. Official NHS England Talking Therapies statistics, as of February 2026.
- Which areas have the longest NHS therapy waiting times?
- NHS Talking Therapies waits vary widely by Integrated Care Board (ICB). In February 2026, six-week access ranged from 33.7% (NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB) to 99.7% (NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB), against a 75% national standard and an England average of 88.6%. See the per-ICB pages for your area's real figure, as of February 2026.
- What is the NHS talking therapies recovery rate in England?
- 47.3% of people who finished a course of NHS Talking Therapies in England reliably recovered, and 50.0% moved to recovery as of February 2026 β meeting the 50% recovery standard. This is an average outcome, not a prediction for any individual.
- How do I get NHS talking therapies?
- NHS Talking Therapies treats common problems such as depression and anxiety. You can self-refer online or via your GP β no appointment is needed to refer. With England's mean wait at 26.4 days, some people also arrange a private consultation with a UK-registered therapist to start sooner while keeping their NHS place.
Don't want to join the NHS therapy waiting list?
The England mean wait for NHS Talking Therapies is 26.4 days. GeraClinic can connect you to a UK-registered therapist this week, and you keep your place on the NHS list.
Methodology
Figures are aggregated from the real per-Sub-ICB count rows in NHS England's February 2026 Talking Therapies activity CSV (nhstalkingtherapies_month_feb_2026_activity_performance.csv). Each Sub-ICB name embeds its parent ICB, so Sub-ICBs are summed to their 42 parent ICBs and percentages are re-derived from the summed numerators and denominators (the only correct roll-up): six-week access = within-6-week finishers Γ· all finishers; reliable recovery = reliable recoveries Γ· finishers at caseness; the mean wait is the accessing-services-weighted mean. These reproduce the published England headline exactly (88.6% six-week access, 47.3% reliable recovery, 26.4 days mean wait). The Gera Mental Health Access Index is the equal-weighted mean of three 0β100 sub-scores β wait load (mean wait Γ· 42-day standard), reliable-recovery shortfall, and six-week access gap β computed from those real figures. No estimates or invented numbers. Recovery rates are area averages, not individual predictions. Reference period: February 2026.
Contains public sector information published by NHS England and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS England β NHS Talking Therapies Monthly Statistics (February 2026, published 16 April 2026). Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. This directory is not affiliated with NHS England. If you are in crisis, call 111 (option 2) or 999.