Ophthalmology Service

CQC: Requires improvement

Ophthalmology Service at NORTHERN CARE ALLIANCE 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 7w

At NORTHERN CARE ALLIANCE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST, the median ophthalmology service wait is 17 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.

How NORTHERN CARE ALLIANCE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST compares

Rank: #109 of 109 — 0 trusts faster, among the slowest 25% of trusts treating Ophthalmology Service in England.
12-month trend: flat — no significant change vs a year ago.
Fastest nationally: THE WALTON CENTRE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST — 3-week wait. Switch saves 14 weeks.

This is the typical wait for Ophthalmology Service as a whole at NORTHERN CARE ALLIANCE 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
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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 ophthalmology
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NORTHERN CARE ALLIANCE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSALFORD, M6 8HD

The data behind it

Median wait: 17wOn the list: 6,486Within 18 weeks: 50%

Ophthalmology Service — 12-month median wait

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

12-month range: 17-21 weeks (spread 4 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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