NHS Colorectal Waiting Times

What Colorectal covers

Colorectal surgery covers the large bowel, rectum and anus — bowel cancer surgery, Crohn's and colitis needing an operation, haemorrhoids, fistulas and fissures, and bowel changes that need a surgical opinion. Many people referred here are sent for a colonoscopy first. Because colorectal is reported separately from General Surgery, its waiting list is often shorter or longer than the general list at the same hospital.

People are usually referred here for

• A change in bowel habit or bleeding
• Haemorrhoids, a fissure or a fistula
• Suspected bowel cancer on the urgent pathway
• Crohn's disease or colitis needing surgery
• A colonoscopy result needing a surgeon

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 Colorectal 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 Colorectal 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.