How long is the NHS wait for Audiology assessment?

There is no single national wait — it depends on which hospital you are sent to. Audiology waits vary between NHS trusts, sometimes several-fold, so the useful thing is to compare your own area. The table above ranks every English NHS trust that reports Audiology, shortest median wait first, from NHS England's DM01 diagnostic figures.

Can I choose which hospital does my Audiology assessment?

For a planned, non-urgent test, often yes. In England you have a legal right, when your GP refers you, to ask to be seen at a hospital with a shorter wait — the NHS Right to Choose. Most people are never told this and go to their nearest by default. It does not apply to urgent or emergency tests.

What does "seen within 6 weeks" mean for Audiology assessment?

Six weeks is the NHS operational standard for diagnostic tests — patients should wait no longer than that. The "within 6 weeks" figure for each hospital is the share of its patients who met that standard; the median is the typical wait. Both come from NHS England's monthly DM01 statistics.

Diagnostics

NHS Audiology assessment waiting times

An audiology assessment tests your hearing and, where needed, fits and reviews hearing aids. It is used to investigate hearing loss, tinnitus and balance problems, and to provide and maintain hearing aids. There is no single national wait: it depends heavily on which hospital you are sent to, and the spread between trusts is large. Below, every English NHS trust that reports Audiology is ranked by its median wait, shortest first.

Compiled by Dr Mustafa Ghafouri (MBChB, MSc) · NHS England DM01 data, March 2026

Typical trust wait

3 weeks

median across 134 trusts

Fastest trust

under 1 week

shortest published median

Hospitals compared

134

English NHS trusts reporting Audiology

Find your wait

Compare Audiology assessment waits near you

Enter your postcode to see the hospitals near you ranked by wait and distance. Free, independent, from NHS figures.

Audiology assessment waits by hospital, shortest first

Median wait and the percentage of patients seen within 6 weeks — the NHS operational standard for diagnostics. Trusts with very few patients are excluded so a median is meaningful.

#	Hospital trust	Median wait	Within 6 weeks
1	THE LIVING CARE GROUPLEEDS	under 1 week	100%
2	THE SHREWSBURY AND TELFORD HOSPITAL NHS TRUSTSHREWSBURY	under 1 week	98%
3	ROYAL BERKSHIRE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTREADING	about 1 week	100%
4	THE ROTHERHAM NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTROTHERHAM	about 1 week	100%
5	EPSOMEDICAL GROUPCOBHAM	about 1 week	100%
6	ROYAL FREE LONDON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	about 1 week	100%
7	EAST KENT HOSPITALS UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCANTERBURY	about 1 week	100%
8	HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSOUTHAMPTON	about 1 week	100%
9	SHROPSHIRE COMMUNITY HEALTH NHS TRUSTSHREWSBURY	about 1 week	100%
10	SUSSEX COMMUNITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBRIGHTON	about 1 week	99%
11	CROYDON HEALTH SERVICES NHS TRUSTTHORNTON HEATH	about 1 week	99%
12	BERKSHIRE HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST	about 1 week	98%
13	NORTH CUMBRIA INTEGRATED CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCARLISLE	about 1 week	98%
14	LEEDS COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTLEEDS	about 1 week	98%
15	TORBAY AND SOUTH DEVON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTTORQUAY	about 1 week	90%
16	MID YORKSHIRE TEACHING NHS TRUSTWAKEFIELD	2 weeks	100%
17	UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SOUTHAMPTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSOUTHAMPTON	2 weeks	100%
18	TAMESIDE AND GLOSSOP INTEGRATED CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTASHTON-UNDER-LYNE	2 weeks	100%
19	LEWISHAM AND GREENWICH NHS TRUSTLONDON	2 weeks	100%
20	CALDERDALE AND HUDDERSFIELD NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTHUDDERSFIELD	2 weeks	100%
21	BESPOKE HEALTHCARE LTDPRESTON	2 weeks	100%
22	MAIDSTONE AND TUNBRIDGE WELLS NHS TRUSTMAIDSTONE	2 weeks	100%
23	GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCHELTENHAM	2 weeks	100%
24	CHELSEA AND WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	2 weeks	99%
25	SOUTH TYNESIDE AND SUNDERLAND NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSUNDERLAND	2 weeks	99%
26	UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	2 weeks	99%
27	SHERWOOD FOREST HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSUTTON-IN-ASHFIELD	2 weeks	99%
28	NORTH CHESHIRE AND MERSEY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWARRINGTON	2 weeks	98%
29	EAST SUSSEX HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTST. LEONARDS-ON-SEA	2 weeks	98%
30	MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTMANCHESTER	2 weeks	98%
31	BOLTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBOLTON	2 weeks	98%
32	IMPERIAL COLLEGE HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTLONDON	2 weeks	97%
33	LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLIVERPOOL	2 weeks	97%
34	ROYAL CORNWALL HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTTRURO	2 weeks	97%
35	HAMPSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBASINGSTOKE	2 weeks	96%
36	ASHFORD AND ST PETER'S HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCHERTSEY	2 weeks	95%
37	EPSOM AND ST HELIER UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTCARSHALTON	2 weeks	94%
38	INHEALTH LIMITEDBEACONSFIELD	2 weeks	93%
39	SOMERSET NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTTAUNTON	2 weeks	93%
40	MID AND SOUTH ESSEX NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWESTCLIFF-ON-SEA	2 weeks	92%
41	COUNTY DURHAM AND DARLINGTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDARLINGTON	2 weeks	92%
42	SHEFFIELD CHILDREN'S NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSHEFFIELD	2 weeks	92%
43	GREAT WESTERN HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSWINDON	2 weeks	91%
44	THE NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTNEWCASTLE UPON TYNE	2 weeks	91%
45	BIRMINGHAM WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBIRMINGHAM	2 weeks	90%
46	ST MARTINS HOSPITALBATH	2 weeks	90%
47	BRISTOL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBRISTOL	2 weeks	89%
48	THE DUDLEY GROUP NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDUDLEY	2 weeks	89%
49	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF MORECAMBE BAY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTKENDAL	2 weeks	88%
50	SOUTH WEST YORKSHIRE PARTNERSHIP NHS FOUNDATION TRUST	2 weeks	88%
51	MIDLANDS PARTNERSHIP UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSTAFFORD	2 weeks	87%
52	EAST SUFFOLK AND NORTH ESSEX NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCOLCHESTER	2 weeks	87%
53	LONDON NORTH WEST UNIVERSITY HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTHARROW	2 weeks	86%
54	WYE VALLEY NHS TRUSTHEREFORD	2 weeks	85%
55	EAST LANCASHIRE HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTBLACKBURN	2 weeks	85%
56	NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTNOTTINGHAM	2 weeks	85%
57	WEST SUFFOLK NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBURY ST. EDMUNDS	2 weeks	84%
58	CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCAMBRIDGE	2 weeks	78%
59	SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWARWICK	3 weeks	95%
60	ROYAL UNITED HOSPITALS BATH NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBATH	3 weeks	94%
61	JAMES PAGET UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTGREAT YARMOUTH	3 weeks	93%
62	FAIRFIELD INDEPENDENT HOSPITALST. HELENS	3 weeks	89%
63	AIREDALE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTKEIGHLEY	3 weeks	86%
64	NORTH TEES AND HARTLEPOOL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTHARTLEPOOL	3 weeks	84%
65	GATESHEAD HEALTH NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTGATESHEAD	3 weeks	83%
66	MEDWAY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTGILLINGHAM	3 weeks	82%
67	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF LEICESTER NHS TRUSTLEICESTER	3 weeks	82%
68	ALDER HEY CHILDREN'S NHS FOUNDATION TRUST	3 weeks	81%
69	KENT COMMUNITY HEALTH NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTASHFORD	3 weeks	81%
70	LEEDS TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTLEEDS	3 weeks	80%
71	ROYAL DEVON UNIVERSITY HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTEXETER	3 weeks	79%
72	MERSEY AND WEST LANCASHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTPRESCOT	3 weeks	79%
73	WORCESTERSHIRE ACUTE HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTWORCESTER	3 weeks	79%
74	SPRINGFIELD HOSPITALCHELMSFORD	3 weeks	79%
75	THE HILLINGDON HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTUXBRIDGE	3 weeks	78%
76	HULL UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTHULL	3 weeks	77%
77	SALISBURY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSALISBURY	3 weeks	77%
78	FRIMLEY HEALTH NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCAMBERLEY	3 weeks	77%
79	SOUTH TEES HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTMIDDLESBROUGH	3 weeks	76%
80	KINGSTON AND RICHMOND NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTKINGSTON UPON THAMES	3 weeks	74%
81	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS PLYMOUTH NHS TRUSTPLYMOUTH	3 weeks	72%
82	GEORGE ELIOT HOSPITAL NHS TRUSTNUNEATON	4 weeks	100%
83	PHOENIX HEALTH SOLUTIONS LIMITED HQPONTEFRACT	4 weeks	90%
84	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF NORTH MIDLANDS NHS TRUSTSTOKE-ON-TRENT	4 weeks	80%
85	BARNSLEY HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBARNSLEY	4 weeks	74%
86	THE YORKSHIRE CLINICBINGLEY	4 weeks	71%
87	NORTHERN CARE ALLIANCE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSALFORD	4 weeks	69%
88	COUNTESS OF CHESTER HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCHESTER	4 weeks	68%
89	YORK AND SCARBOROUGH TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTYORK	4 weeks	66%
90	MID CHESHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCREWE	4 weeks	66%
91	WALSALL HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTWALSALL	4 weeks	61%
92	BRADFORD TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBRADFORD	4 weeks	61%
93	EAST CHESHIRE NHS TRUSTMACCLESFIELD	4 weeks	61%
94	THE ROYAL WOLVERHAMPTON NHS TRUSTWOLVERHAMPTON	4 weeks	60%
95	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS BIRMINGHAM NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBIRMINGHAM	4 weeks	59%
96	BUCKINGHAMSHIRE HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTAMERSHAM	4 weeks	58%
97	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE NHS TRUSTCOVENTRY	4 weeks	58%
98	THE HAMPTONS HOSPITAL LTDPETERBOROUGH	5 weeks	63%
99	SANDWELL AND WEST BIRMINGHAM HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTSMETHWICK	5 weeks	58%
100	NORFOLK AND NORWICH UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTNORWICH	5 weeks	58%
101	BARTS HEALTH NHS TRUSTLONDON	5 weeks	52%
102	CHESTERFIELD ROYAL HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCHESTERFIELD	5 weeks	51%
103	WRIGHTINGTON, WIGAN AND LEIGH TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWIGAN	6 weeks	48%
104	WHITTINGTON HEALTH NHS TRUSTLONDON	6 weeks	48%
105	SHEFFIELD TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSHEFFIELD	6 weeks	47%
106	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF DERBY AND BURTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDERBY	6 weeks	47%
107	NORTH WEST ANGLIA NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTPETERBOROUGH	6 weeks	45%
108	NORTHERN LINCOLNSHIRE AND GOOLE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTGRIMSBY	7 weeks	43%
109	BLACKPOOL TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBLACKPOOL	7 weeks	43%
110	BUCKSHAW HOSPITALCHORLEY	7 weeks	41%
111	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS SUSSEX NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWORTHING	7 weeks	39%
112	KETTERING GENERAL HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTKETTERING	7 weeks	39%
113	OXLEAS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST	7 weeks	16%
114	WEST HERTFORDSHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTWATFORD	8 weeks	37%
115	WEST LONDON NHS TRUSTSOUTHALL	9 weeks	40%
116	HARROGATE AND DISTRICT NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTHARROGATE	9 weeks	40%
117	GUY'S AND ST THOMAS' NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	9 weeks	38%
118	GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	9 weeks	26%
119	BEDFORDSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLUTON	9 weeks	26%
120	MILTON KEYNES UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTMILTON KEYNES	10 weeks	33%
121	LANCASHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTPRESTON	11 weeks	32%
122	CENTRAL AND NORTH WEST LONDON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST	11 weeks	32%
123	NORTHAMPTON GENERAL HOSPITAL NHS TRUSTNORTHAMPTON	11 weeks	21%
124	ROYAL SURREY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTGUILDFORD	12 weeks	31%
125	DONCASTER AND BASSETLAW TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDONCASTER	13 weeks	33%
126	OMNES HEALTHCARE LTDSALFORD	13 weeks	31%
127	THE PRINCESS ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL NHS TRUSTHARLOW	13 weeks	26%
128	STOCKPORT NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSTOCKPORT	13 weeks	24%
129	PORTSMOUTH HOSPITALS UNIVERSITY NHS TRUSTPORTSMOUTH	13 weeks	22%
130	OXFORD UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTOXFORD	13 weeks	19%
131	FIRST COMMUNITY HEALTH AND CARE CICREDHILL	13 weeks	18%
132	EAST AND NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE TEACHING NHS TRUSTSTEVENAGE	13 weeks	13%
133	UNITED LINCOLNSHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTLINCOLN	13 weeks	10%
134	THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL, KING'S LYNN, NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTKING'S LYNN	13 weeks	6%

Can I choose where I have my Audiology?

For a planned, non-urgent diagnostic test you often can. In England you have a legal right, when your GP refers you, to ask to be seen at a different hospital — including one with a shorter wait. Most people are never told this and go to their nearest by default.

How the NHS Right to Choose works

Where these numbers come from

Waits are from NHS England's monthly Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity (DM01) statistics, for March 2026. Each figure is the trust's median wait for that test; “within 6 weeks” is the NHS operational standard. Nothing here is medical advice — the site surfaces the published data so you and your GP can use it.

NHS England DM01 source data

Frequently asked questions

How long is the NHS wait for Audiology assessment?: There is no single national wait — it depends on which hospital you are sent to. Audiology waits vary between NHS trusts, sometimes several-fold, so the useful thing is to compare your own area. The table above ranks every English NHS trust that reports Audiology, shortest median wait first, from NHS England's DM01 diagnostic figures.
Can I choose which hospital does my Audiology assessment?: For a planned, non-urgent test, often yes. In England you have a legal right, when your GP refers you, to ask to be seen at a hospital with a shorter wait — the NHS Right to Choose. Most people are never told this and go to their nearest by default. It does not apply to urgent or emergency tests.
What does "seen within 6 weeks" mean for Audiology assessment?: Six weeks is the NHS operational standard for diagnostic tests — patients should wait no longer than that. The "within 6 weeks" figure for each hospital is the share of its patients who met that standard; the median is the typical wait. Both come from NHS England's monthly DM01 statistics.

Compare other NHS scans and tests

All NHS diagnostic waiting times

See also our guide to NHS ENT waiting times.