Bedford Hospital South Wing and Luton and Dunstable waiting times
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust runs Bedford Hospital South Wing and Luton and Dunstable University Hospital. Here is how long people waited for treatment there, by specialty, in August 2026.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Luton, East of England, LU4 0DZ. ODS code RC9.
Hospital waiting times near Luton. A&E waiting times near Luton.
A&E in September 2026
62% of 18,509 people at this trust's 24-hour A&E departments were seen, treated and admitted or sent home within 4 hours. 85 people waited over 12 hours for a bed after a decision to admit.
Over the last 18 months: Apr 25 59%, May 25 63%, Jun 25 60%, Jul 25 59%, Aug 25 63%, Sep 25 63%, Oct 25 59%, Nov 25 62%, Dec 25 64%, Jan 26 61%, Feb 26 65%, Mar 26 69%, Apr 26 66%, May 26 64%, Jun 26 63%, Jul 26 64%, Aug 26 60%, Sep 26 62%.
Covers every A&E this trust runs. How every trust compares.
Waits by specialty
Each band runs from the point where half of patients had been treated to the point where 9 in 10 had.
| Specialty | Treated waits | Waiting now | Within 18 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiology | 12 to 43 weeks | 15 to 36 weeks | 59% |
| Dermatology | 8 to 51 weeks | 16 to 42 weeks | 54% |
| Ear, nose and throat | 12 to 51 weeks | 17 to 45 weeks | 53% |
| Elderly medicine | 16 to 42 weeks | 8 to 20 weeks | 87% |
| Gastroenterology | 5 to 41 weeks | 10 to 37 weeks | 74% |
| General internal medicine | 1 to 11 weeks | 6 to 17 weeks | 95% |
| General surgery | 20 to 51 weeks | 16 to 41 weeks | 55% |
| Gynaecology | 3 to 46 weeks | 12 to 38 weeks | 66% |
| Neurology | 33 to 47 weeks | 16 to 38 weeks | 57% |
| Ophthalmology | 1 to 37 weeks | 12 to 34 weeks | 70% |
| Oral surgery | 21 to 57 weeks | 22 to 47 weeks | 42% |
| Other medical services | 4 to 35 weeks | 9 to 28 weeks | 78% |
| Other paediatric services | 9 to 46 weeks | 15 to 39 weeks | 59% |
| Other services | 6 to 44 weeks | 13 to 32 weeks | 67% |
| Other surgical services | 4 to 34 weeks | 10 to 39 weeks | 70% |
| Plastic surgery | 7 to 50 weeks | 15 to 41 weeks | 58% |
| Respiratory medicine | 13 to 45 weeks | 12 to 31 weeks | 70% |
| Rheumatology | 14 to 46 weeks | 9 to 19 weeks | 90% |
| Trauma and orthopaedics | 26 to 62 weeks | 21 to 50 weeks | 46% |
| Urology | 10 to 45 weeks | 13 to 38 weeks | 62% |
| Cardiothoracic surgery | Too few patients to show | ||
| Other mental health services | Too few patients to show | ||
NHS England figures, . Checked for new figures . About the data.
Sites this trust runs: Bedford Hospital South Wing, Luton and Dunstable University Hospital, Luton & Dunstable Hospital. The figures below cover all of them.
Where to find them
- Bedford Hospital South Wing
South Wing, Kempston Road, Bedford, MK42 9DJ Map - Luton and Dunstable University Hospital
Lewsey Road, Luton, LU4 0DZ Map - Luton & Dunstable Hospital
Lewsey Road, Luton, LU4 0DZ Map
Addresses from the NHS Organisation Data Service.
Scan and test waits
People waiting for each test in August 2026, and the share who had waited over six weeks. The standard is under 1 in 100.
| Test | Waiting | Over six weeks | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultrasound scan | 5,641 | 17% | 22% |
| MRI scan | 3,857 | 33% | 22% |
| CT scan | 1,635 | 4% | 11% |
| DEXA bone density scan | 1,374 | 34% | 21% |
| Colonoscopy | 984 | 48% | 31% |
| Gastroscopy | 967 | 46% | 30% |
| Hearing test | 898 | 89% | 43% |
| Echocardiogram | 725 | 46% | 30% |
| Sleep study | 651 | 77% | 35% |
| Flexible sigmoidoscopy | 368 | 51% | 33% |
| Nerve conduction test | 196 | 6% | 45% |
| Urodynamics | 142 | 41% | 47% |
| Cystoscopy | 51 | 27% | 27% |
NHS England figures, . Checked for new figures . About the data.
Questions people ask
How long is the waiting list at Bedford Hospital South Wing and Luton and Dunstable?
At the end of August 2026, 86,990 people were on the waiting list across all specialties. Half had waited under 14 weeks and 9 in 10 under 41 weeks. 60% were within the 18-week standard. Each specialty in the table below has its own figure.
Can I check where I am on the waiting list?
Not from this site: these are NHS England's monthly figures for whole specialties, not individual patients. The NHS App shows your own referral, and the hospital's patient advice and liaison service (PALS) can tell you your position and whether your referral is marked urgent. See how your wait compares.
How do I get seen sooner than the Bedford Hospital South Wing and Luton and Dunstable wait time?
When your GP refers you, you can choose any hospital in England that holds an NHS contract, including independent hospitals the NHS pays for. If you have already waited over 18 weeks with no date in the next 8 weeks, you can ask to move. Compare every hospital near you first. Hospital waiting times near Luton.