GeraClinic / NHS waiting times / By region / London
NHS Waiting Times in London
In April 2026, 1,166,741 patients in the London Commissioning Region were waiting to start NHS treatment, with a regional median wait of 11.6 weeks and 66.6% seen within 18 weeks (official NHS England RTT data).
How long is the NHS waiting list in London?
As of April 2026, 1,166,741 patients in the London Commissioning Region were waiting to start NHS treatment, with 66.6% seen within 18 weeks and a median wait of 11.6 weeks. Source: NHS England RTT (Commissioner), April 2026. Gera re-dates this monthly.
Estimate your wait in this region
Pick a specialty to see its real median wait here vs the England average
Choose your NHS region and a specialty to see the real April 2026 median wait, how it compares to the England average, and your region's Gera Care-Access Index.
National median across all specialties (England): 11.9 weeks.
London waiting times by specialty (April 2026)
| Specialty | Patients waiting | Within 18 weeks | Median wait | Over 52 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All specialties (London) | 1,166,741 | 66.6% | 11.6 weeks | 11,473 |
| Other - Medical Services | 122,393 | 74.5% | 9.5 weeks | 488 |
| Other - Surgical Services | 97,957 | 65.3% | 11.6 weeks | 869 |
| Trauma and Orthopaedic Service | 96,056 | 61.1% | 13.2 weeks | 1,398 |
| Gynaecology Service | 95,219 | 63.7% | 12.3 weeks | 1,408 |
| Ear Nose and Throat Service | 90,526 | 57.7% | 14.4 weeks | 1,874 |
| Ophthalmology Service | 84,190 | 77.6% | 8.9 weeks | 370 |
| Dermatology Service | 66,692 | 65.4% | 11.4 weeks | 481 |
| Urology Service | 65,026 | 63.4% | 12.7 weeks | 585 |
| Cardiology Service | 64,215 | 68.6% | 11.7 weeks | 243 |
| Gastroenterology Service | 60,905 | 71.7% | 10.6 weeks | 195 |
| General Surgery Service | 60,278 | 58.3% | 14.2 weeks | 1,063 |
| Other - Paediatric Services | 59,756 | 69.0% | 11.0 weeks | 690 |
| Oral Surgery Service | 51,943 | 61.7% | 13.3 weeks | 435 |
| Respiratory Medicine Service | 41,746 | 73.1% | 10.1 weeks | 83 |
| Neurology Service | 34,720 | 64.8% | 12.3 weeks | 179 |
| Other - Other Services | 20,044 | 74.5% | 9.1 weeks | 292 |
| Rheumatology Service | 14,702 | 75.8% | 9.5 weeks | 37 |
| Plastic Surgery Service | 14,288 | 54.5% | 15.2 weeks | 363 |
| Neurosurgical Service | 13,313 | 60.8% | 13.0 weeks | 132 |
| General Internal Medicine Service | 7,941 | 56.0% | 14.5 weeks | 285 |
| Elderly Medicine Service | 3,689 | 89.7% | 6.0 weeks | 2 |
| Cardiothoracic Surgery Service | 643 | 83.5% | 7.8 weeks | 0 |
| Other - Mental Health Services | 499 | 71.9% | 10.3 weeks | 1 |
The longest median wait in London is for Plastic Surgery Service at 15.2 weeks. Figures are official NHS England RTT statistics (commissioner basis), April 2026.
Don't want to wait?
The median NHS wait in London is 11.6 weeks. A private GeraClinic consultation can usually happen within days — and you keep your NHS place.
Frequently asked questions
- How long is the NHS waiting list in London (London Commissioning Region)?
- In April 2026, 1,166,741 patients were waiting to start NHS treatment on an incomplete (open) referral-to-treatment pathway in the London Commissioning Region. The regional median wait was 11.6 weeks, and 66.6% of patients had been waiting 18 weeks or less. Figures are official NHS England RTT statistics (commissioner basis), as of April 2026.
- What percentage of patients in London are seen within 18 weeks?
- 66.6% of the 1,166,741 patients waiting in the London Commissioning Region had been waiting 18 weeks or less as of April 2026. That leaves 390,031 patients waiting longer than the NHS 18-week standard. The NHS Constitution target is for 92% of patients to wait no more than 18 weeks.
- Which specialty has the longest NHS wait in London?
- In London, Plastic Surgery Service had the longest median wait as of April 2026, at 15.2 weeks, with 14,288 patients waiting and 54.5% seen within 18 weeks. Surgical and orthopaedic specialties typically have the longest regional waits.
- How many patients in London wait more than a year on the NHS?
- 11,473 patients in the London Commissioning Region were waiting more than 52 weeks (over a year) to start NHS treatment as of April 2026. Eliminating these longest waits is a core NHS England recovery metric.
- What is the Gera Care-Access Index for London?
- The Gera Care-Access Index (GCAI) for the London Commissioning Region is 68.9 / 100 as of April 2026 (higher = worse access). It is computed transparently from the real NHS figures as (1 − 66.6% within 18 weeks) × 1,166,741 patients waiting, then min–max normalized across the seven NHS England regions. The Midlands region currently has the worst access.
- Can I avoid the NHS waiting list in London?
- Many patients shorten the wait by arranging a private consultation. A private specialist can usually see you within days rather than the 11.6 weeks regional median NHS wait, and you keep your NHS place while you do. GeraClinic connects you with consultant-level doctors for an online consultation.
Compare other NHS regions
- All NHS regions ranked by access — the regional Gera Care-Access Index league table.
- NHS waiting times by specialty (national) — England-wide figures for every specialty.
- CQC-registered care providers by region — provider quality near you.
Methodology — Gera Care-Access Index
Every 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 across the 7 NHS England regions to a 0–100 scale (higher = worse access). London's raw numerator is 389,691, giving a GCAI of 68.9 / 100 (April 2026). The index 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.