NHS Grommets (Ear Tubes) Waiting Time
NHS grommet insertion for glue ear falls under ENT. Waiting times vary by trust — find who is treating patients fastest.
Data source: Ear, Nose and Throat waiting times — the NHS specialty that covers Grommets (Ear Tubes).
20w
Avg treatment wait
6w
Shortest wait
44w
Longest wait
149
Hospitals reporting
Find the shortest Grommets (Ear Tubes) wait near you
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About Grommets (Ear Tubes) on the NHS
Grommet insertion (tympanostomy tubes) for persistent glue ear (otitis media with effusion) is managed within the NHS ENT specialty and is one of the most common childhood procedures. Waiting times vary significantly between trusts.
Shortest Ear, Nose and Throat waits in England
Grommets (Ear Tubes) is treated within the Ear, Nose and Throat specialty. These are the trusts with the shortest current waits.
| # | Hospital | Region | Avg treatment wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Buckhurst Hill Essex Nuffield | East of England | 6w |
| 02 | Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 7w |
| 03 | Bushey Hospital - Spire | East of England | 8w |
| 04 | St Marys Portsmouth Practice Plus Group | South East | 8w |
| 05 | Benenden Hospital | South East | 8w |
| 06 | Clare Park Hospital - Spire | South East | 8w |
| 07 | Ilford Practice Plus Group | London | 9w |
| 08 | Harpenden Hospital - Spire | East of England | 9w |
| 09 | Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 10w |
| 10 | Highgate Hospital (London) - Nuffield | London | 10w |
Average Grommets (Ear Tubes) wait by region
Your right to choose where you are treated
Under the NHS Constitution and the Health Act 2009, you have a legal right to choose which NHS or NHS-commissioned independent sector provider sees you for your first outpatient appointment.
Your GP must refer you via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS) and offer you at least five choices. If you were referred to a hospital with a long wait, you can ask your GP to re-refer you to a provider with a shorter wait — this is your legal right.
Research shows the average extra distance to a significantly shorter wait is just 13 miles.
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