Rheumatology Service

Rheumatology Service at COUNTY DURHAM AND DARLINGTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

What this means for you

Your wait is over twice the national average — about 17 weeks.

1/10Doctor Data Wait Score™ · Poorvs nat. median 8w

At COUNTY DURHAM AND DARLINGTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST, the median rheumatology service wait is 17 weeks, compared to 8 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.

How COUNTY DURHAM AND DARLINGTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST compares

Rank: #112 of 118 — 6 trusts faster, among the slowest 25% of trusts treating Rheumatology Service in England.
12-month trend: falling — 5 weeks shorter than a year ago.
Fastest nationally: HOMERTON HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST — 1-week wait. Switch saves 16 weeks.

This is the typical wait for Rheumatology Service as a whole at COUNTY DURHAM AND DARLINGTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST. Your specific procedure could be faster or slower — ask your GP for an estimate that's specific to you.

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.
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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 rheumatology
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.
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COUNTY DURHAM AND DARLINGTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDARLINGTON, DL3 6HX

The data behind it

Median wait: 17wOn the list: 841Within 18 weeks: 52%

Rheumatology Service — 12-month median wait

This trust (solid) vs national average (dashed). Data through March 2026.

12-month range: 12-21 weeks (spread 9 weeks). Trust waits are sensitive to consultant joins/leaves, list-management policy, and coding changes — the headline median above is one point in this range, not a fixed value.

▸ Why median wait can vary (pooled lists, coding, consultant mix)

Wait times are pooled across all consultants in this specialty at this trust. Your individual wait depends on which consultant you're allocated. Why this matters →

Source: NHS England RTT. Median wait calculated from the published weekly band distribution for incomplete pathways. Source: NHS England RTT · Analysis: Doctor Data Ltd.

Your options now

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