Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
NHS waiting times across 20 specialties at Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, South West.
In Breast, the shortest reported wait here is 3 weeks, and 8 out of 10 patients are seen within 3 weeks. The 8-in-10 figure matters more than the average: it tells you how long a typical patient actually waits, rather than a number a handful of very short or very long waits can pull around.
Data sourced from NHS England RTT statistics and refreshed weekly. Green badges indicate waits below the national average for that specialty.
20
Specialties reported
3w
Shortest wait
South West
Region
Departments at Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Larger trusts split a department into sub-specialty teams, and each team reports its own waiting list. If a sub-specialty here is quicker than the main department, it is worth asking your GP which list your operation would actually go on.
General surgery
General Surgery: 33wHernias, gallbladder, bowel and abdominal operations. Larger trusts split these into sub-specialty teams, and the same operation can sit on a different list depending on which team takes it.
Bones, joints and spine
Orthopaedics: 32wHip and knee replacements, shoulder and foot surgery, back and neck problems, arthritis and long-term pain.
This trust reports one combined list for this department.
Heart and chest
Cardiology: 14wHeart conditions and the operations that treat them, plus lung and chest surgery.
This trust reports one combined list for this department.
Stomach, bowel and liver
Gastroenterology: 12wMedical gut and liver care, including camera tests. The surgical side sits under general surgery.
This trust reports one combined list for this department.
Ear, nose and throat
Ear, Nose and Throat: 20wHearing, sinuses, tonsils, and balance problems.
This trust reports one combined list for this department.
Eyes
Ophthalmology: 9wCataracts, glaucoma, retinal conditions and eyelid surgery.
This trust reports one combined list for this department.
Women's health
Gynaecology: 13wPeriods, fibroids, endometriosis, prolapse and menopause care.
This trust reports one combined list for this department.
Kidneys and urinary
Urology: 12wBladder, kidney and prostate problems, stones and kidney disease.
Skin
Dermatology: 9wSkin conditions, lesion removal and reconstructive surgery.
This trust reports one combined list for this department.
Lungs and breathing
Respiratory: 8wBreathlessness, asthma, COPD, sleep apnoea and lung function testing.
This trust reports one combined list for this department.
Hormones and metabolism
Endocrinology: 15wThyroid, diabetes and other hormonal and metabolic conditions.
This trust reports one combined list for this department.
Mouth, jaw and face
Wisdom teeth, jaw and facial surgery, braces and specialist dentistry. These are separate treatment functions from general surgery, and the waits are often very different.
Children's services
Paediatrics: 18wPaediatric teams run their own lists, separate from the adult department of the same name. A child's wait is not the adult wait.
Waiting times by specialty at Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
| Specialty | Treatment wait | vs national avg | 8 in 10 wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breast | 3w | 1w below | 3w |
| Renal | 8w | 5w below | 12w |
| Respiratory | 8w | 6w below | 16w |
| Vascular | 8w | 14w below | 14w |
| Dermatology | 9w | 4w below | 13w |
| Haematology | 9w | 1w below | 14w |
| Ophthalmology | 9w | 4w below | 18w |
| Colorectal | 11w | 5w below | 16w |
| Gastroenterology | 12w | 3w below | 21w |
| Urology | 12w | 5w below | 21w |
| Gynaecology | 13w | 6w below | 18w |
| Cardiology | 14w | 4w below | 25w |
| Orthodontics | 14w | 9w below | 19w |
| Endocrinology | 15w | 4w below | 23w |
| Paediatrics | 18w | 6w above | 33w |
| Ear, Nose and Throat | 20w | At average | 45w |
| Paediatric Surgery | 22w | 3w above | 28w |
| Maxillofacial Surgery | 25w | 5w above | 44w |
| Orthopaedics | 32w | 11w above | 54w |
| General Surgery | 33w | 14w above | 49w |
Shorter waits near Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
These NHS providers in South West currently report a shorter wait than Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for the same specialty. You have a legal right to ask your GP to refer you to any of them.
| Specialty | Faster provider | Their wait | You could save |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Surgery | Hathaway Independent Health Group | 4w | 29w |
| Orthopaedics | Gloucester Independent Health Group | 8w | 24w |
| Maxillofacial Surgery | Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust | 7w | 18w |
| Paediatrics | Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust | 7w | 11w |
| Paediatric Surgery | Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust | 12w | 10w |
| Ear, Nose and Throat | Shepton Practice Plus Group | 11w | 9w |
Compare with other hospitals in South West
Your right to choose this hospital
Under the NHS Constitution and the NHS Choice Framework, you are entitled to ask your GP to refer you to Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for your first outpatient appointment in any of the specialties listed above. Your GP should facilitate this through the NHS e-Referral Service. If Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust appears on e-RS for your specialty, you can book your appointment there directly.
If you are already waiting at a different hospital and would prefer Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, ask your GP to redirect your referral. We will write the letter for you, free.
Where these figures come from
Waiting times for Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (nhs) are published by the provider and derived from NHS England Referral to Treatment statistics, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The provider last updated these figures on 29 May 2026. You can check them at the source: Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust waiting times. Figures describe published waiting times and are not medical advice. Always consult your GP before changing your care arrangements.
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