East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
NHS waiting times across 10 specialties at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, North 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.
10
Specialties reported
3w
Shortest wait
North West
Region
Departments at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS 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: 19wHernias, 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: 26wHip 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: 18wHeart conditions and the operations that treat them, plus lung and chest surgery.
This trust reports one combined list for this department.
Ear, nose and throat
Ear, Nose and Throat: 13wHearing, sinuses, tonsils, and balance problems.
This trust reports one combined list for this department.
Eyes
Ophthalmology: 17wCataracts, glaucoma, retinal conditions and eyelid surgery.
This trust reports one combined list for this department.
Women's health
Gynaecology: 23wPeriods, fibroids, endometriosis, prolapse and menopause care.
This trust reports one combined list for this department.
Kidneys and urinary
Urology: 10wBladder, kidney and prostate problems, stones and kidney disease.
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.
Waiting times by specialty at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
| Specialty | Treatment wait | vs national avg | 8 in 10 wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breast | 3w | 1w below | 3w |
| Urology | 10w | 7w below | 15w |
| Ear, Nose and Throat | 13w | 7w below | 19w |
| Vascular | 15w | 7w below | 35w |
| Ophthalmology | 17w | 4w above | 36w |
| Cardiology | 18w | At average | 23w |
| General Surgery | 19w | At average | 39w |
| Maxillofacial Surgery | 21w | 1w above | 38w |
| Gynaecology | 23w | 4w above | 36w |
| Orthopaedics | 26w | 5w above | 44w |
Shorter waits near East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
These NHS providers in North West currently report a shorter wait than East Lancashire Hospitals NHS 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orthopaedics | The Lancaster Hospital - Circle | 9w | 17w |
| Gynaecology | Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 12w | 11w |
| General Surgery | Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust | 8w | 11w |
| Ophthalmology | Blackpool Spamedica | 7w | 10w |
| Cardiology | Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust | 11w | 7w |
| Urology | Cheshire Hospital - Spire | 5w | 5w |
Compare with other hospitals in North 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 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS 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 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS 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 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, ask your GP to redirect your referral. We will write the letter for you, free.
Where these figures come from
Waiting times for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS 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: East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust waiting times. Figures describe published waiting times and are not medical advice. Always consult your GP before changing your care arrangements.
Search all hospitals near you
Enter your postcode to compare every hospital by distance and wait time.