How long is the NHS wait for Sleep study?

There is no single national wait — it depends on which hospital you are sent to. Sleep study 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 Sleep study, shortest median wait first, from NHS England's DM01 diagnostic figures.

Can I choose which hospital does my Sleep study?

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 Sleep study?

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 Sleep study waiting times

A sleep study records your breathing, oxygen levels and other signals overnight — often with equipment you take home — to look at how you breathe while asleep. It is used to investigate suspected obstructive sleep apnoea and other sleep-related breathing problems, often prompted by snoring, pauses in breathing or daytime sleepiness. 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 Sleep study is ranked by its median wait, shortest first.

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

Typical trust wait

2 weeks

median across 106 trusts

Fastest trust

under 1 week

shortest published median

Hospitals compared

106

English NHS trusts reporting Sleep study

Sleep study 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	NORTH CHESHIRE AND MERSEY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWARRINGTON	under 1 week	100%
2	HARROGATE AND DISTRICT NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTHARROGATE	under 1 week	83%
3	HOMERTON HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	about 1 week	100%
4	TORBAY AND SOUTH DEVON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTTORQUAY	about 1 week	100%
5	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS DORSET NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTPOOLE	about 1 week	100%
6	WRIGHTINGTON, WIGAN AND LEIGH TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWIGAN	about 1 week	100%
7	CROYDON HEALTH SERVICES NHS TRUSTTHORNTON HEATH	about 1 week	100%
8	LEEDS TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTLEEDS	about 1 week	100%
9	STOCKPORT NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSTOCKPORT	about 1 week	100%
10	NORTH BRISTOL NHS TRUSTBRISTOL	about 1 week	100%
11	MERSEY AND WEST LANCASHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTPRESCOT	about 1 week	100%
12	THE ROYAL WOLVERHAMPTON NHS TRUSTWOLVERHAMPTON	about 1 week	100%
13	LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLIVERPOOL	about 1 week	100%
14	ROYAL UNITED HOSPITALS BATH NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBATH	about 1 week	100%
15	DORSET COUNTY HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDORCHESTER	about 1 week	100%
16	FRIMLEY HEALTH NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCAMBERLEY	about 1 week	99%
17	NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTNOTTINGHAM	about 1 week	99%
18	THE SHREWSBURY AND TELFORD HOSPITAL NHS TRUSTSHREWSBURY	about 1 week	99%
19	WIRRAL UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWIRRAL	about 1 week	99%
20	BRADFORD TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBRADFORD	about 1 week	98%
21	JAMES PAGET UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTGREAT YARMOUTH	about 1 week	95%
22	AIREDALE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTKEIGHLEY	2 weeks	100%
23	NORTHUMBRIA HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTNORTH SHIELDS	2 weeks	100%
24	WALSALL HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTWALSALL	2 weeks	100%
25	NORTHAMPTON GENERAL HOSPITAL NHS TRUSTNORTHAMPTON	2 weeks	100%
26	TAMESIDE AND GLOSSOP INTEGRATED CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTASHTON-UNDER-LYNE	2 weeks	100%
27	MID YORKSHIRE TEACHING NHS TRUSTWAKEFIELD	2 weeks	100%
28	BLACKPOOL TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBLACKPOOL	2 weeks	100%
29	BUCKINGHAMSHIRE HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTAMERSHAM	2 weeks	100%
30	ISLE OF WIGHT NHS TRUSTNEWPORT	2 weeks	100%
31	IMPERIAL COLLEGE HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTLONDON	2 weeks	100%
32	ROYAL PAPWORTH HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCAMBRIDGE	2 weeks	100%
33	THE ROTHERHAM NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTROTHERHAM	2 weeks	99%
34	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE NHS TRUSTCOVENTRY	2 weeks	99%
35	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF MORECAMBE BAY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTKENDAL	2 weeks	99%
36	WORCESTERSHIRE ACUTE HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTWORCESTER	2 weeks	98%
37	LIVERPOOL HEART AND CHEST HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLIVERPOOL	2 weeks	98%
38	DONCASTER AND BASSETLAW TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDONCASTER	2 weeks	98%
39	NORTHERN CARE ALLIANCE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSALFORD	2 weeks	97%
40	GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	2 weeks	96%
41	ASHFORD AND ST PETER'S HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCHERTSEY	2 weeks	95%
42	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS SUSSEX NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWORTHING	2 weeks	93%
43	GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCHELTENHAM	2 weeks	93%
44	EAST SUFFOLK AND NORTH ESSEX NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCOLCHESTER	2 weeks	92%
45	MEDWAY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTGILLINGHAM	2 weeks	92%
46	ROYAL BERKSHIRE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTREADING	2 weeks	92%
47	SOMERSET NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTTAUNTON	2 weeks	89%
48	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF DERBY AND BURTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDERBY	2 weeks	89%
49	SHEFFIELD CHILDREN'S NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSHEFFIELD	2 weeks	87%
50	COUNTESS OF CHESTER HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCHESTER	2 weeks	86%
51	UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SOUTHAMPTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSOUTHAMPTON	2 weeks	85%
52	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS BIRMINGHAM NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBIRMINGHAM	2 weeks	85%
53	SHERWOOD FOREST HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSUTTON-IN-ASHFIELD	2 weeks	82%
54	KETTERING GENERAL HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTKETTERING	2 weeks	73%
55	KING'S COLLEGE HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	2 weeks	69%
56	OXFORD UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTOXFORD	2 weeks	67%
57	SANDWELL AND WEST BIRMINGHAM HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTSMETHWICK	3 weeks	100%
58	BEDFORDSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLUTON	3 weeks	99%
59	MAIDSTONE AND TUNBRIDGE WELLS NHS TRUSTMAIDSTONE	3 weeks	98%
60	ROYAL FREE LONDON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	3 weeks	95%
61	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF NORTH MIDLANDS NHS TRUSTSTOKE-ON-TRENT	3 weeks	94%
62	GREAT WESTERN HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSWINDON	3 weeks	91%
63	SURREY AND SUSSEX HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTREDHILL	3 weeks	90%
64	EAST CHESHIRE NHS TRUSTMACCLESFIELD	3 weeks	89%
65	MILTON KEYNES UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTMILTON KEYNES	3 weeks	86%
66	CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCAMBRIDGE	3 weeks	85%
67	ST GEORGE'S UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	3 weeks	85%
68	BRISTOL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBRISTOL	3 weeks	84%
69	MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTMANCHESTER	3 weeks	82%
70	YORK AND SCARBOROUGH TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTYORK	3 weeks	81%
71	QUEEN VICTORIA HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTEAST GRINSTEAD	3 weeks	80%
72	LANCASHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTPRESTON	3 weeks	79%
73	LEWISHAM AND GREENWICH NHS TRUSTLONDON	3 weeks	79%
74	ROYAL DEVON UNIVERSITY HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTEXETER	3 weeks	78%
75	GUY'S AND ST THOMAS' NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	3 weeks	77%
76	BIRMINGHAM WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBIRMINGHAM	3 weeks	75%
77	MID CHESHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCREWE	3 weeks	74%
78	COUNTY DURHAM AND DARLINGTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDARLINGTON	3 weeks	73%
79	THE DUDLEY GROUP NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDUDLEY	3 weeks	70%
80	SOUTH TYNESIDE AND SUNDERLAND NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSUNDERLAND	3 weeks	70%
81	SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWARWICK	4 weeks	94%
82	THE YORKSHIRE CLINICBINGLEY	4 weeks	77%
83	UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	4 weeks	64%
84	EAST KENT HOSPITALS UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCANTERBURY	4 weeks	64%
85	WHITTINGTON HEALTH NHS TRUSTLONDON	4 weeks	64%
86	HAMPSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBASINGSTOKE	5 weeks	56%
87	EAST AND NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE TEACHING NHS TRUSTSTEVENAGE	5 weeks	55%
88	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS PLYMOUTH NHS TRUSTPLYMOUTH	5 weeks	55%
89	WYE VALLEY NHS TRUSTHEREFORD	6 weeks	49%
90	PORTSMOUTH HOSPITALS UNIVERSITY NHS TRUSTPORTSMOUTH	6 weeks	47%
91	GEORGE ELIOT HOSPITAL NHS TRUSTNUNEATON	6 weeks	45%
92	NORFOLK AND NORWICH UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTNORWICH	7 weeks	37%
93	THE NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTNEWCASTLE UPON TYNE	7 weeks	30%
94	SOUTH TEES HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTMIDDLESBROUGH	7 weeks	28%
95	KINGSTON AND RICHMOND NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTKINGSTON UPON THAMES	8 weeks	41%
96	HULL UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTHULL	8 weeks	37%
97	WOODTHORPE HOSPITALNOTTINGHAM	8 weeks	37%
98	MID AND SOUTH ESSEX NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWESTCLIFF-ON-SEA	8 weeks	27%
99	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF LEICESTER NHS TRUSTLEICESTER	9 weeks	40%
100	BARTS HEALTH NHS TRUSTLONDON	11 weeks	41%
101	ROYAL CORNWALL HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTTRURO	11 weeks	27%
102	CHELSEA AND WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	13 weeks	28%
103	TEES VALLEY HOSPITALMIDDLESBROUGH	13 weeks	25%
104	SHEFFIELD TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSHEFFIELD	13 weeks	24%
105	NORTH CUMBRIA INTEGRATED CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCARLISLE	13 weeks	23%
106	LONDON NORTH WEST UNIVERSITY HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTHARROW	13 weeks	22%

Can I choose where I have my Sleep study?

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 Sleep study?: There is no single national wait — it depends on which hospital you are sent to. Sleep study 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 Sleep study, shortest median wait first, from NHS England's DM01 diagnostic figures.
Can I choose which hospital does my Sleep study?: 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 Sleep study?: 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 respiratory (lung) waiting times.