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

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust waiting times

Name: Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust waiting times
Creator: NHS England
License: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Latest NHS England figures for A&E, diagnostic tests and planned treatment at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, in the Midlands region, which serves Birmingham.

A&E

Live waits: Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust publishes current waits for Midland Metropolitan University Hospital and other sites on its own website: see live waits on the trust website. The figures below are the latest monthly NHS England statistics. Live waits for Northern Ireland and hospitals that publish their own are on our live A&E page.

74.5%of A&E attendances admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours (September 2026)

57.0%within 4 hours at the main (type 1) A&E

21,786A&E attendances in the month

221waited over 12 hours from decision to admit

In September 2026, 74.5% of the 21,786 people attending A&E at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust were admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours. That is 0.1 points above the England average of 74.4% and 1.6 points above the Midlands average of 72.9%. It ranks 49 of 120 trusts with a major A&E in England and 8 of 21 in Midlands (1 = highest share within 4 hours). At the main emergency department (type 1), 57.0% spent 4 hours or less, against 60.6% across England. 2,609 patients were admitted as emergencies through A&E, and 221 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 70.9% (January 2026) to 76.3% (September 2025); it is down 1.8 points since September 2025.

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals: % within 4 hours of arrival England

Month by month

Month	Within 4 hours	Attendances	12-hour waits (decision to admit)	England within 4 hours
September 2026	74.5%	21,786	221	74.4%
August 2026	74.1%	20,958	273	75.0%
July 2026	75.1%	21,855	301	75.4%
June 2026	73.3%	21,422	231	75.0%
May 2026	76.3%	21,950	269	75.7%
April 2026	75.0%	20,744	495	76.9%
March 2026	75.3%	21,517	612	77.1%
February 2026	71.5%	19,753	448	74.1%
January 2026	70.9%	20,963	645	72.5%
December 2025	72.9%	21,668	422	73.8%
November 2025	71.6%	22,145	386	74.2%
October 2025	73.3%	22,529	380	74.2%
September 2025	76.3%	20,623	299	75.1%

Diagnostic tests

Diagnostic waiting lists at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals, end of August 2026
Test	Waiting list	Waiting under 6 weeks	Waiting 13+ weeks	England under 6 weeks
MRI	8,354	52.4%	630	78.0%
CT	1,734	85.4%	75	88.8%
Ultrasound	5,233	86.5%	147	78.3%
Endoscopy	1,801	56.0%	436	69.6%

MRI: % waiting under 6 weeks England

CT: % waiting under 6 weeks England

Ultrasound: % waiting under 6 weeks England

Endoscopy: % waiting under 6 weeks England

Planned treatment (referral to treatment)

14.4 wksmedian wait (England 12.2 weeks)

60.1%waiting under 18 weeks (England 65.2%)

67,228people waiting for consultant-led treatment

461waiting over 52 weeks

At the end of August 2026, 67,228 people were waiting to start consultant-led treatment at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust. Half had waited less than 14.4 weeks (England: 12.2 weeks) and 60.1% had waited under 18 weeks, 5.1 points below 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
Ophthalmology	7,983	9.5	78.9%	9	10.4
Ear Nose and Throat	7,468	23.9	38.6%	210	15.4
Other - Paediatrics	6,212	11.5	67.7%	43	12.3
Trauma and Orthopaedic	6,095	15.3	58.7%	28	13.9
Other - Surgicals	5,336	14.4	63.8%	0	11.4
Gynaecology	5,266	15.5	57.2%	11	14.2
Cardiology	4,980	18.1	49.9%	27	11.9
General Surgery	4,708	12.4	63.9%	13	12.8

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals: median RTT wait (weeks) England

Other trusts in Midlands

Trust	A&E within 4 hours	MRI under 6 weeks	RTT median weeks
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust	86.7%	92.1%	12.5
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust	80.3%	96.0%	12.9
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust	80.0%	99.1%	12.8
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust	78.2%	73.8%	11.9
Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust	78.2%	81.0%	12.2
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust	75.3%	92.6%	14.4
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust	75.3%	67.2%	10.3
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	74.4%	95.1%	12.4
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust	71.8%	67.1%	12.6
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust	69.4%	80.6%	11.9
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust	69.4%	62.5%	–
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust	69.0%	80.3%	11.7
United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust	68.8%	49.6%	13.0
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust	67.5%	46.9%	13.6
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	66.5%	73.0%	13.8
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust	66.2%	58.4%	13.3
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust	66.0%	59.2%	13.8
Wye Valley NHS Trust	65.3%	84.7%	13.0
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust	62.1%	90.2%	14.0
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust	51.0%	81.8%	12.1

Towns served

Birmingham · A&E · MRI

Frequently asked questions

What are A&E waiting times like at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust?

In September 2026, 74.5% of A&E attendances were dealt with within 4 hours, against 74.4% across England and the 95% standard.

How long is the waiting list at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust?

67,228 people were waiting to start consultant-led treatment at the end of August 2026, with a median wait of 14.4 weeks. 461 had waited over a year.

How long is the MRI wait at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust?

52.4% of the 8,354 people on the MRI waiting list had waited under 6 weeks at the end of August 2026.

How often are these figures updated?

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.