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
NHS waiting times in Wirral
Waits near Wirral at a glance
A&E – Wirral University Teaching Hospital NOT LIVE
5 in 10 (53.4%)
people at A&E were admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours. At the main (type 1) A&E it was 4 in 10 (43.4%).
Official monthly figure for Sep 2026 · published 8 October 2026 · NHS England
Live waits are not published for Wirral. Not sure you need A&E? Use NHS 111 online or call 111.
Wirral, Merseyside, is served mainly by Wirral University Teaching Hospital 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 North West region and England.
Wirral: local hospitals and referrals
Nearest Wirral University Teaching Hospital hospital: Arrowe Park Hospital (CH49 5PE), about 1 mile from central Wirral.
Nearest community diagnostic centre: Clatterbridge Diagnostics CDC (CH63 4JY), about 3 miles away. Source: NHS England CDC activity data, Aug 2026.
Integrated care board: NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB.
A&E waiting times in Wirral
53.4%of A&E attendances admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours (September 2026)
43.4%within 4 hours at the main (type 1) A&E
10,669A&E attendances in the month
498waited over 12 hours from decision to admit
In September 2026, 53.4% of the 10,669 people attending A&E at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust were admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours. That is 21.0 points below the England average of 74.4% and 18.4 points below the North West average of 71.8%. It ranks 117 of 120 trusts with a major A&E in England and 17 of 18 in North West (1 = highest share within 4 hours). At the main emergency department (type 1), 43.4% spent 4 hours or less, against 60.6% across England. 2,321 patients were admitted as emergencies through A&E, and 498 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 52.6% (August 2026) to 62.5% (April 2026); it is down 3.7 points since September 2025.
Wirral University Teaching Hospital: % within 4 hours of arrival England
Full A&E page for Wirral: 13-month history, nearby A&E departments and what to do if it is not an emergency.
Scan and test waiting times in Wirral
Diagnostic waiting lists at Wirral University Teaching Hospital, end of August 2026
At the end of August 2026, 43,368 people were waiting to start consultant-led treatment at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Half had waited less than 12.0 weeks (England: 12.2 weeks) and 65.4% had waited under 18 weeks, 0.2 points above the England figure of 65.2%. The NHS constitution standard is 92% within 18 weeks.
Largest specialty waiting lists
Specialty
Waiting
Median weeks
Under 18 weeks
Over 52 weeks
England median weeks
Other - Surgicals
4,338
12.6
63.4%
30
11.4
Ear Nose and Throat
4,017
17.2
52.4%
14
15.4
Other - Others
3,540
5.8
89.7%
2
8.7
Other - Medicals
3,510
11.0
70.3%
10
10.7
Ophthalmology
3,242
14.8
58.2%
15
10.4
Dermatology
3,201
13.3
61.3%
24
10.5
Gastroenterology
3,090
12.8
63.5%
54
11.0
Gynaecology
3,078
13.3
61.7%
11
14.2
Wirral University Teaching Hospital: median RTT wait (weeks) England
ADHD and autism assessment waits in the local ICB area
ADHD: in June 2026 there were 36,815 open referrals that may be for an ADHD assessment in NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board. 17,480 (47.5%) had been open for a year or more, compared with 57.8% across England. 26,280 had no first contact recorded yet. ADHD waits by area.
Autism: in June 2026, 14,160 people had an open suspected autism referral in this ICB area, and 12,025 (84.9%) 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.
Nearby towns
A&E performance at the main trust for the nearest towns on this site.
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.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the A&E wait in Wirral?
In September 2026, 53.4% of A&E attendances at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust were admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours, against 74.4% across England. 498 patients waited more than 12 hours from decision to admit. Actual waits depend on how urgent your condition is.
How long is the wait for an MRI scan in Wirral?
At the end of August 2026, 98.1% of the 1,105 people waiting for an MRI scan at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust had waited under 6 weeks (England 78.0%).
How long is the wait for a CT scan in Wirral?
At the end of August 2026, 99.3% of the 881 people waiting for a CT scan at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust had waited under 6 weeks (England 88.8%).
How long is the wait for hospital treatment in Wirral?
The median wait for consultant-led treatment at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust was 12.0 weeks at the end of August 2026, and 65.4% of patients had waited under 18 weeks.
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.