Cardiothoracic Surgery Service at BARKING, HAVERING AND REDBRIDGE UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS TRUST

At BARKING, HAVERING AND REDBRIDGE UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS TRUST, the median cardiothoracic surgery service wait is 15 weeks, compared to 7 weeks nationally. Doctor Data Wait Score: 1/10. Right to Choose now: switching NHS hospitals can dramatically cut your wait. If you have private medical insurance, also worth a parallel conversation with your insurer.

1. 1

   Talk to your GP about Right to Choose

   By NHS law you can choose any NHS hospital in England for your first outpatient appointment. Take a pre-filled letter to your GP — it sets out your situation and the trust you'd prefer.

   Generate GP letter
2. 2

   Compare with other NHS hospitals near you

   See which NHS trusts have shorter waits for this specialty. Useful evidence for your GP conversation.

   See national rankings for cardiothoracic surgery
3. 3

   Check if private medical insurance would cover this

   Many people have PMI through their employer or partner without realising. A 5-minute check can be worth months saved.

   How to check your PMI cover