You are not forgotten. Here is where you stand.
Enter your hospital, specialty and the date you were referred. Nothing you type leaves your device.
What you can do
- Ask where you are in the queue. Your hospital's patient advice and liaison service (PALS) can tell you your position and whether your referral is marked urgent.
- Ask to move if you have waited over 18 weeks. NHS England says patients who have waited more than 18 weeks and do not have an appointment or treatment date within the next 8 weeks can ask their hospital to move them to another provider with a shorter wait, including independent hospitals the NHS pays for. Use the letter below.
- Tell your GP if things get worse. A change in your condition can change your priority.
- Compare nearby waits. See every hospital near you ranked by real wait.
Guidance last checked 14 October 2026. We review it every quarter.
Your request to move hospital
Fill in the gaps, then print or copy. It stays on your device.
To the referral and booking team, [hospital]
Dear team,
I was referred to your [specialty] service on [date]. I have now waited [number] weeks and I do not have an appointment or treatment date within the next 8 weeks.
Under NHS England's guidance on patient choice for people waiting over 18 weeks, I would like to be moved to another provider that can see me sooner, and I would prefer . Please tell me which providers are available and how long their waits are, or confirm the move in writing.
If you cannot move me, please tell me why and give me a date for my appointment.
Yours faithfully,
[your name]
NHS number: [if known]