NHS Breast Waiting Times
The average NHS Breast wait in England is 4 weeks, but it ranges from 1 weeks at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to 19 weeks elsewhere. That gap is yours to use — you have a legal right to choose where you are treated.
What Breast covers
Breast surgery covers lumps, pain, changes in shape or skin, nipple discharge, and follow-up after breast screening. Most people referred to a breast clinic do not have cancer — the clinic exists to check quickly. Urgent referrals are usually seen within two weeks; routine referrals wait longer.
People are usually referred here for
- A new breast lump
- A change in breast shape or skin
- Nipple discharge or change
- Breast pain that is not settling
- Recall after breast screening
- Family history assessment
4w
Avg treatment wait
1w
Shortest wait
19w
Longest wait
111
Hospitals reporting
Find the shortest Breast wait near you
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Shortest Breast waits in England
| # | Hospital | Region | Avg treatment wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | East of England | 1w |
| 02 | Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | London | 2w |
| 03 | Airedale NHS Foundation Trust | North East & Yorkshire | 2w |
| 04 | Medway NHS Foundation Trust | South East | 2w |
| 05 | Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust | Midlands | 2w |
| 06 | Whittington Health NHS Trust | London | 2w |
| 07 | Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust | Midlands | 2w |
| 08 | The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King`s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust | East of England | 2w |
| 09 | Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | North West | 2w |
| 10 | The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust | East of England | 2w |
Average Breast wait by region
Were you referred somewhere else?
The same problem is sometimes handled by a different department, and the wait can be very different. Check these too:
Your right to choose a Breast hospital
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 Breast appointment.
Your GP must refer you via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS) and offer you at least five choices. If you have already been 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 entirely within your rights.
Research shows the average extra distance to a significantly shorter wait is just 13 miles.
Read the full Breast Right to Choose guide →Ready to find a shorter Breast wait?
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