Watford General waiting times
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust runs Watford General Hospital. Here is how long people waited for treatment there, by specialty, in August 2026.
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Watford, East of England, WD18 0HB. ODS code RWG.
Hospital waiting times near Watford. A&E waiting times near Watford.
A&E in September 2026
73% of 8,453 people at this trust's 24-hour A&E departments were seen, treated and admitted or sent home within 4 hours. 15 people waited over 12 hours for a bed after a decision to admit.
Over the last 18 months: Apr 25 70%, May 25 67%, Jun 25 71%, Jul 25 70%, Aug 25 69%, Sep 25 69%, Oct 25 68%, Nov 25 70%, Dec 25 71%, Jan 26 65%, Feb 26 73%, Mar 26 82%, Apr 26 78%, May 26 74%, Jun 26 75%, Jul 26 75%, Aug 26 78%, Sep 26 73%.
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 | 19 to 38 weeks | 11 to 27 weeks | 78% |
| Dermatology | 8 to 26 weeks | 9 to 23 weeks | 82% |
| Ear, nose and throat | 10 to 60 weeks | 20 to 48 weeks | 47% |
| Gastroenterology | 10 to 29 weeks | 9 to 18 weeks | 92% |
| General internal medicine | 5 to 20 weeks | 5 to 10 weeks | 98% |
| General surgery | 3 to 49 weeks | 16 to 44 weeks | 54% |
| Gynaecology | 5 to 35 weeks | 11 to 37 weeks | 70% |
| Neurology | 14 to 28 weeks | 12 to 24 weeks | 80% |
| Ophthalmology | 4 to 47 weeks | 14 to 42 weeks | 62% |
| Oral surgery | 19 to 55 weeks | 17 to 45 weeks | 52% |
| Other medical services | 9 to 28 weeks | 9 to 24 weeks | 82% |
| Other paediatric services | 9 to 21 weeks | 11 to 38 weeks | 70% |
| Other services | 3 to 13 weeks | 6 to 17 weeks | 98% |
| Other surgical services | 24 to 47 weeks | 10 to 27 weeks | 79% |
| Respiratory medicine | 6 to 27 weeks | 8 to 22 weeks | 88% |
| Rheumatology | 12 to 36 weeks | 10 to 28 weeks | 75% |
| Trauma and orthopaedics | 30 to 55 weeks | 17 to 44 weeks | 53% |
| Urology | 13 to 40 weeks | 11 to 31 weeks | 73% |
| Elderly medicine | 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: Watford General Hospital, Hemel Hempstead Hospital, Potters Bar Community Hospital, St Albans City Hospital. The figures below cover all of them.
Where to find them
- Watford General Hospital
Vicarage Road, Watford, WD18 0HB Map - Hemel Hempstead Hospital
Hillfield Road, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 4AD Map - St Albans City Hospital
Waverley Road, St. Albans, AL3 5PN 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 | 8,464 | 40% | 22% |
| DEXA bone density scan | 2,241 | 12% | 21% |
| MRI scan | 1,598 | 4% | 22% |
| Hearing test | 1,452 | 62% | 43% |
| CT scan | 1,310 | 0% | 11% |
| Echocardiogram | 1,182 | 8% | 30% |
| Colonoscopy | 1,115 | 6% | 31% |
| Gastroscopy | 838 | 13% | 30% |
| Cystoscopy | 350 | 45% | 27% |
| Nerve conduction test | 258 | 47% | 45% |
| Flexible sigmoidoscopy | 242 | 4% | 33% |
| Barium enema | 43 | 0% | 26% |
| Urodynamics | 40 | 3% | 47% |
NHS England figures, . Checked for new figures . About the data.
Questions people ask
How long is the waiting list at Watford General?
At the end of August 2026, 44,404 people were on the waiting list across all specialties. Half had waited under 12 weeks and 9 in 10 under 37 weeks. 69% 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 Watford General 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 Watford.