GeraClinic / NHS waiting times / Best regions by specialty
Best NHS Regions for Each Specialty
Where in England is the NHS waiting list shortest for your treatment? The Gera Regional Treatment Rank (GRTR) ranks all 7 NHS England regions per specialty by real median wait time β April 2026 NHS England RTT data, 7,123,980 patients waiting nationally.
Which NHS region has the shortest waiting times across all specialties in England?
As of April 2026, NHS waiting times vary significantly by region and specialty. Nationally 7,123,980 patients are waiting, median 11.9 weeks. The Gera Regional Treatment Rank (GRTR) ranks all 7 NHS England regions per specialty by median wait β rank 1 is the shortest wait. Source: NHS England RTT, April 2026.
Compare NHS regions for your specialty
Select a specialty to see all 7 regions ranked by median wait (GRTR)
Choose a specialty to see which NHS England region has the shortest wait.
Best NHS region per specialty (April 2026)
| Specialty | Best region | Median wait (best) | Longest region | Median wait (longest) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trauma and Orthopaedic Service | North East and Yorkshire | 12.5 weeks | East of England | 18.1 weeks |
| Other - Medical Services | South West | 8.8 weeks | Midlands | 11.0 weeks |
| Ophthalmology Service | North East and Yorkshire | 8.5 weeks | East of England | 10.4 weeks |
| Ear Nose and Throat Service | North West | 12.6 weeks | East of England | 16.4 weeks |
| Gynaecology Service | North East and Yorkshire | 12.1 weeks | East of England | 14.2 weeks |
| Other - Surgical Services | South West | 10.7 weeks | South East | 11.9 weeks |
| General Surgery Service | North East and Yorkshire | 10.4 weeks | East of England | 14.4 weeks |
| Dermatology Service | South West | 9.1 weeks | East of England | 12.7 weeks |
| Cardiology Service | North East and Yorkshire | 9.5 weeks | South East | 12.6 weeks |
| Urology Service | South West | 10.8 weeks | East of England | 13.5 weeks |
| Gastroenterology Service | South West | 8.7 weeks | East of England | 12.0 weeks |
| Oral Surgery Service | South West | 13.1 weeks | East of England | 19.1 weeks |
| Other - Paediatric Services | South East | 10.5 weeks | East of England | 13.1 weeks |
| Neurology Service | North East and Yorkshire | 11.5 weeks | North West | 15.1 weeks |
| Respiratory Medicine Service | North West | 8.9 weeks | South East | 10.2 weeks |
| Other - Other Services | North East and Yorkshire | 6.4 weeks | South East | 10.7 weeks |
| Rheumatology Service | South West | 9.0 weeks | South East | 12.0 weeks |
| Plastic Surgery Service | South West | 10.2 weeks | East of England | 15.6 weeks |
| Neurosurgical Service | North West | 10.3 weeks | Midlands | 13.8 weeks |
| General Internal Medicine Service | North East and Yorkshire | 8.0 weeks | London | 14.5 weeks |
| Elderly Medicine Service | London | 6.0 weeks | Midlands | 9.3 weeks |
| Cardiothoracic Surgery Service | South East | 7.1 weeks | South West | 13.7 weeks |
| Other - Mental Health Services | South West | 4.4 weeks | East of England | 11.4 weeks |
Median wait = the week at which half of patients waiting for that specialty in that region have waited less. Source: NHS England Consultant-led RTT Waiting Times, Commissioner basis, April 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0.
Browse by specialty
- Trauma and Orthopaedic Service
- Other - Medical Services
- Ophthalmology Service
- Ear Nose and Throat Service
- Gynaecology Service
- Other - Surgical Services
- General Surgery Service
- Dermatology Service
- Cardiology Service
- Urology Service
- Gastroenterology Service
- Oral Surgery Service
- Other - Paediatric Services
- Neurology Service
- Respiratory Medicine Service
- Other - Other Services
- Rheumatology Service
- Plastic Surgery Service
- Neurosurgical Service
- General Internal Medicine Service
- Elderly Medicine Service
- Cardiothoracic Surgery Service
- Other - Mental Health Services
Don't want to wait? Book a private consultation
The national median NHS wait across all specialties is 11.9 weeks. A private GeraClinic consultation can usually happen within days β you keep your NHS place.
Frequently asked questions
- How do NHS waiting times differ by region and specialty?
- Waiting times vary considerably across the 7 NHS England commissioning regions and across specialties. As of April 2026, national median wait across all specialties is 11.9 weeks, but for individual specialties the regional spread can exceed several weeks. For example, orthopaedics ranges from around 13β18 weeks depending on region. The Gera Regional Treatment Rank (GRTR) quantifies this for each specialty.
- What is the Gera Regional Treatment Rank (GRTR)?
- The Gera Regional Treatment Rank (GRTR) ranks each of the 7 NHS England commissioning regions for a given specialty by median waiting time, ascending β rank 1 = shortest wait (best access). It is computed from official NHS England RTT Incomplete Commissioner data, published monthly. Methodology is public at geraclinic.com/nhs-waiting-times/best-regions/methodology.
- Can I choose which NHS region treats me to get a shorter wait?
- NHS patients are normally referred to providers within their local integrated care board. However, the NHS Constitution gives patients the right to choose from any NHS provider for a first outpatient appointment, including providers in other regions. Discussing options with your GP using real regional wait data can help. Alternatively, a private GeraClinic consultation can usually take place within days β and you keep your NHS referral.
- How often is this data updated?
- NHS England publishes RTT Waiting Times data monthly. The current figures on this page are from the April 2026 release (published 11 June 2026). Gera re-dates the GRTR rankings on the same monthly cadence.
- What is the total NHS waiting list size in England?
- As of April 2026, 7,123,980 patients in England were waiting to start consultant-led NHS treatment on an incomplete referral-to-treatment pathway. The median wait nationally was 11.9 weeks, with 64.9% seen within 18 weeks. 100,665 patients had been waiting more than 52 weeks. Source: NHS England RTT, April 2026.
Related NHS waiting time data
- NHS waiting times by specialty (national) β England-wide figures for every treatment function.
- NHS waiting times by region β all specialties for your NHS commissioning region.
- A&E 4-hour performance by NHS trust β emergency care wait times across England.
- Mental health waiting times by ICB β IAPT and community MH access.
- GRTR methodology β how the Gera Regional Treatment Rank is computed.
Data source & methodology
All figures are taken directly from NHS England's official Consultant-led Referral to Treatment (RTT) Waiting Times release for April 2026 β both the national provider-based full CSV and the Commissioner-based regional breakdown. No estimates or survey data are used. The Gera Regional Treatment Rank (GRTR) ranks regions by median wait time (ascending) per specialty. Full methodology β
Contains public sector information published by NHS England and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS England β Consultant-led Referral to Treatment (RTT) Waiting Times (April 2026, published June 2026). Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. This directory is not affiliated with NHS England.
Informational/educational only β not a substitute for professional medical advice; a clinician interprets results.