Northern Ireland hospitals: The average time patients wait for urgent outpatient appointment at every trust

• There are five health trusts in Northern Ireland.
• Each trust has different waiting list times for outpatient appointments.
• Criteria is divided into red flag, urgent or routine, with each referral pathway having their own average waiting time.
• In August, it was revealed that more than 340,000 people in Northern Ireland are waiting for their first consultant-led appointment.

Patients in Northern Ireland are facing long waiting lists to access NHS care. Reported by the BBC NI in August, more than 340,000 people are waiting for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment across four health trusts as of June 30, 2024, with more than half waiting more than a year.

Waiting lists for outpatient appointments are classed as routine, urgent and red flag. The times that patients will wait to see a doctor will depend on how their referral is classified, with routine patients having the longest average waits, with rheumatology patients waiting on average 238 weeks for a routine appointment in the Belfast trust.

However, even once you see a doctor, the waiting lists to access treatment for patients is still lengthy, with the BBC reporting in May that patients waiting to access treatment for urology and ear nose and throat faced waits of more than six years.

This is the average time patients wait for an urgent outpatient appointment at every hospital trust in Northern Ireland.

Belfast Trust

In the Belfast Trust as of figures from June 6, the average wait for an urgent outpatient appointment is 20.85 weeks. The longest waiting list time is for rheumatology, with patients waiting on average 80 weeks for an urgent outpatient appointment, dermatology comes in second with patients waiting 55 weeks for an urgent outpatient appointment.

The departments with the shortest waiting list for an urgent outpatient appointment are breast surgery, dental prosthetics and varicose veins at two weeks.

South Eastern Trust

In the South Eastern Trust as of figures from November 2, 2023, the average wait for an urgent outpatient appointment is 32.47 weeks. The longest waiting list time for an urgent outpatient appointment is oral surgery at 139 weeks, whilst rheumatology comes in second with patients waiting 105 weeks.

The department with the shortest waiting list for an urgent outpatient appointment is Nephrology, with patients waiting on average just one week.

Northern Trust

In the Northern Trust, the average wait for an urgent outpatient appointment is 24.09 weeks. The longest waiting list time for an urgent outpatient appointment is oral surgery at 69 weeks, whilst neurology comes in second with patients waiting 67 weeks for an urgent outpatient appointment.

The departments with the shortest waiting list for an urgent outpatient appointment are breast surgery and orthopaedics, with patients waiting on average just two weeks.

Southern Trust

In the Southern Trust, the average wait for an urgent outpatient appointment is 35.72 weeks. The longest waiting list time is for an urgent outpatient appointment is general medicine at 144 weeks, whilst haematology comes in second with patients waiting 95 weeks for an urgent outpatient appointment.

The department with the shortest average waiting list for an urgent outpatient appointment is orthodontics, with patients waiting on average just four weeks.

Western Trust

In the Western Trust, the average wait for an urgent outpatient appointment is 28.82 weeks. The longest waiting list time is for an urgent outpatient appointment is general surgery at 103 weeks, whilst gastroenterology comes in second with patients waiting 89 weeks for an urgent outpatient appointment.

The department with the shortest waiting list for an urgent outpatient appointment is pain management, with patients waiting on average just one week.

You can find out more about the average waiting list times for each trust in Northern Ireland at My Waiting Times NI.