A&E data for September 2026, published 8 October 2026 · Diagnostics (DM01) data for August 2026, published 8 October 2026 · Referral to treatment (RTT) data for August 2026, published 8 October 2026
A&E – East Kent Hospitals University NOT LIVE
7 in 10 (72.1%)
people at A&E were admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours. At the main (type 1) A&E it was 1 in 2 (50.9%).
Official monthly figure for Sep 2026 · published 8 October 2026 · NHS England
Live waits are not published for Ashford. Not sure you need A&E? Use NHS 111 online or call 111.
Nearby A&E and how Ashford compares →Ashford, Kent, is served mainly by East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust. This page brings together the latest published NHS England figures for A&E, scans and tests, and planned hospital treatment at that trust, with trends and comparisons against the South East region and England.
In September 2026, 72.1% of the 26,960 people attending A&E at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust were admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours. That is 2.3 points below the England average of 74.4% and 4.1 points below the South East average of 76.2%. It ranks 62 of 120 trusts with a major A&E in England and 11 of 17 in South East (1 = highest share within 4 hours). At the main emergency department (type 1), 50.9% spent 4 hours or less, against 60.6% across England. 3,592 patients were admitted as emergencies through A&E, and 1,079 waited more than 12 hours from the decision to admit them to being admitted.
Over the last 13 months the 4-hour figure has ranged from 70.1% (August 2026) to 77.2% (November 2025); it is down 3.1 points since September 2025.
East Kent Hospitals University: % within 4 hours of arrival England
Full A&E page for Ashford: 13-month history, nearby A&E departments and what to do if it is not an emergency.
| Test | Waiting list | Waiting under 6 weeks | Waiting 13+ weeks | England under 6 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI | 12,727 | 51.7% | 863 | 78.0% |
| CT | 7,990 | 55.0% | 1,137 | 88.8% |
| Ultrasound | 11,064 | 32.2% | 3,904 | 78.3% |
| Endoscopy | 1,528 | 82.4% | 140 | 69.6% |
Detailed pages: MRI scan waiting times in Ashford · CT scan waiting times in Ashford · Ultrasound waiting times in Ashford · Endoscopy waiting times in Ashford.
At the end of August 2026, 85,395 people were waiting to start consultant-led treatment at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust. Half had waited less than 15.7 weeks (England: 12.2 weeks) and 55.4% had waited under 18 weeks, 9.8 points below the England figure of 65.2%. The NHS constitution standard is 92% within 18 weeks.
| Specialty | Waiting | Median weeks | Under 18 weeks | Over 52 weeks | England median weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ear Nose and Throat | 9,687 | 21.2 | 42.9% | 237 | 15.4 |
| General Surgery | 8,805 | 13.7 | 58.6% | 490 | 12.8 |
| Trauma and Orthopaedic | 8,187 | 20.7 | 44.0% | 319 | 13.9 |
| Gynaecology | 7,109 | 16.3 | 54.3% | 87 | 14.2 |
| Dermatology | 6,407 | 8.9 | 76.7% | 3 | 10.5 |
| Other - Surgicals | 5,879 | 16.7 | 53.2% | 160 | 11.4 |
| Ophthalmology | 5,544 | 13.4 | 60.7% | 163 | 10.4 |
| Cardiology | 5,300 | 17.9 | 50.1% | 608 | 11.9 |
East Kent Hospitals University: median RTT wait (weeks) England
ADHD: in June 2026 there were 23,160 open referrals that may be for an ADHD assessment in NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board. 11,665 (50.4%) had been open for a year or more, compared with 57.8% across England. 17,260 had no first contact recorded yet. ADHD waits by area.
Autism: in June 2026, 5,970 people had an open suspected autism referral in this ICB area, and 5,310 (88.9%) had been waiting at least 13 weeks (England 86.8%). Autism waits by area.
NHS England counts open referrals that may be for ADHD. It describes these figures as management information and experimental statistics, so they are approximate and depend on how services record referrals. See also mental health waiting times.
A&E performance at the main trust for the nearest towns on this site.
| Nearby town | Distance | Main trust or board | Within 4 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury | 13 miles | East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust | 72.1% |
| Maidstone | 17 miles | Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust | 74.9% |
| Hastings | 24 miles | East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | 74.1% |
| Dartford | 35 miles | Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust | 80.1% |
| Eastbourne | 37 miles | East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | 74.1% |
| Lewes | 42 miles | University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust | 60.6% |
| Greenwich | 44 miles | Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust | 71.1% |
| Croydon | 45 miles | Croydon Health Services NHS Trust | 72.4% |
The 4-hour A&E figure is the share of people who were admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours of arriving. The NHS constitution standard is 95%. The diagnostics figures show how long people on the waiting list for a test had waited at the end of the month; the standard is that fewer than 1% wait 6 weeks or more. The referral to treatment (RTT) figures cover people waiting to start consultant-led treatment, against a standard of 92% within 18 weeks. These are averages for a whole trust and do not predict how long any one person will wait.
In September 2026, 72.1% of A&E attendances at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust were admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours, against 74.4% across England. 1,079 patients waited more than 12 hours from decision to admit. Actual waits depend on how urgent your condition is.
At the end of August 2026, 51.7% of the 12,727 people waiting for an MRI scan at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust had waited under 6 weeks (England 78.0%).
At the end of August 2026, 55.0% of the 7,990 people waiting for a CT scan at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust had waited under 6 weeks (England 88.8%).
The median wait for consultant-led treatment at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust was 15.7 weeks at the end of August 2026, and 55.4% of patients had waited under 18 weeks.
Ashford is mapped to East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust on this site, based on the nearest major hospitals. Some patients may be treated by other trusts depending on where they live and are referred.
NHS England publishes A&E, diagnostics (DM01) and referral to treatment (RTT) statistics every month, usually on the second Thursday. A&E figures cover the previous month; diagnostics and RTT figures are a month further behind. This site refreshes when new files are published.