How are NHS waiting times broken down by region?

NHS England publishes Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times on a commissioner basis for 7 commissioning regions. For each region you can see the total patients waiting, the share seen within 18 weeks, the median wait, and the number waiting over 52 weeks, April 2026.

What is the Gera Care-Access Index?

The Gera Care-Access Index (GCAI) is a 0–100 score (higher = worse access) computed transparently from the real NHS figures as (1 − % within 18 weeks) × waiting-list size, min–max normalized across the 7 regions. Midlands scores 100 (worst) and South West scores 0 (best), April 2026.

Where does this regional NHS waiting-time data come from?

These figures come directly from NHS England's official "Incomplete Commissioner" RTT data file for April 2026 (published 11 June 2026), region sheet. The data is published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

GeraClinic / NHS waiting times / By region

NHS Waiting Times by Region

Real April 2026 NHS England Referral to Treatment figures for all 7 commissioning regions. The Midlands Commissioning Region has the worst access (63.8% within 18 weeks); the South West Commissioning Region the best (68.1%). Choose a region for its full specialty breakdown.

Which NHS region in England has the longest waiting times, and how do regions compare?

As of April 2026, the Midlands Commissioning Region has the worst NHS waiting-list access of England's 7 regions, with 63.8% seen within 18 weeks and a median wait of 12.2 weeks; South West is best at 68.1%. Source: NHS England RTT (Commissioner), April 2026.

Source:NHS England — Consultant-led Referral to Treatment (RTT) Waiting Times (Commissioner)·as of April 2026updated monthly (last: 18 June 2026)

Gera Care-Access Index100 / 100Midlands — worst regional access, April 2026How this index is calculated

NHS waiting times by region (April 2026) — sorted worst access first
Region	Patients waiting	Within 18 weeks	Median wait	Over 52 weeks	Care-Access Index
Midlands	1,318,384	63.8%	12.2 weeks	16,577	100 / 100
London	1,166,741	66.6%	11.6 weeks	11,473	68.9 / 100
South East	1,076,662	63.8%	12.2 weeks	17,091	68.9 / 100
East of England	900,862	60.9%	13.1 weeks	21,382	55.6 / 100
North West	968,973	64.4%	12.1 weeks	12,663	53 / 100
North East and Yorkshire	921,696	68.6%	10.8 weeks	10,331	33.3 / 100
South West	613,805	68.1%	11.1 weeks	6,003	0 / 100

Choose your NHS region

East of England

900,862 waiting · 60.9% within 18 weeks · median 13.1 weeks

Gera Care-Access Index 55.6 / 100

London

1,166,741 waiting · 66.6% within 18 weeks · median 11.6 weeks

Gera Care-Access Index 68.9 / 100

Midlands

1,318,384 waiting · 63.8% within 18 weeks · median 12.2 weeks

Gera Care-Access Index 100 / 100

North East and Yorkshire

921,696 waiting · 68.6% within 18 weeks · median 10.8 weeks

Gera Care-Access Index 33.3 / 100

North West

968,973 waiting · 64.4% within 18 weeks · median 12.1 weeks

Gera Care-Access Index 53 / 100

South East

1,076,662 waiting · 63.8% within 18 weeks · median 12.2 weeks

Gera Care-Access Index 68.9 / 100

South West

613,805 waiting · 68.1% within 18 weeks · median 11.1 weeks

Gera Care-Access Index 0 / 100

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Frequently asked questions

Which NHS region in England has the longest waiting times?: As of April 2026, the Midlands Commissioning Region had the worst access of the 7 NHS England regions: 63.8% of 1,318,384 patients seen within 18 weeks, median 12.2 weeks (Gera Care-Access Index 100 / 100). South West had the best access at 68.1%.
How are NHS waiting times broken down by region?: NHS England publishes Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times on a commissioner basis for 7 commissioning regions. For each region you can see the total patients waiting, the share seen within 18 weeks, the median wait, and the number waiting over 52 weeks, April 2026.
What is the Gera Care-Access Index?: The Gera Care-Access Index (GCAI) is a 0–100 score (higher = worse access) computed transparently from the real NHS figures as (1 − % within 18 weeks) × waiting-list size, min–max normalized across the 7 regions. Midlands scores 100 (worst) and South West scores 0 (best), April 2026.
Where does this regional NHS waiting-time data come from?: These figures come directly from NHS England's official "Incomplete Commissioner" RTT data file for April 2026 (published 11 June 2026), region sheet. The data is published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Related research

NHS waiting times by specialty (national) — every specialty's England-wide figures.
Browse specialties & book a specialist — see a consultant online without the NHS wait.
CQC-registered care providers by region — the official care register, sliced by region.

Methodology — Gera Care-Access Index

Every regional figure on this page is taken directly from the per-region, per-treatment-function summary columns of NHS England's official “Incomplete Commissioner” RTT data file for April 2026 (region sheet): total incomplete pathways, total within 18 weeks, % within 18 weeks, median (average) waiting time, and total 52+ weeks. No estimates or survey data are mixed in.

The Gera Care-Access Index (GCAI) is computed transparently: for each region we take the access-deficit numerator (1 − % within 18 weeks) × total patients waiting, then min–max normalize that numerator across the 7 regions to a 0–100 scale (the region with the largest absolute access deficit scores 100; the smallest scores 0). Higher = worse access. The index combines both the share of patients breaching the 18-week standard and the absolute size of the waiting list, so a large region with many waiters scores worse than a small region with the same percentage. It re-computes on the real NHS cadence (monthly).

Contains public sector information published by NHS England and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS England — 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.