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NHS Lothian

health board · Scotland · Scotland · code S08000024

This page reports published statistics; it is not medical advice and does not rate the trust.

In August 2026, 64.0% of A&E attendances at NHS Lothian ended in admission, transfer or discharge within 4 hours, Public Health Scotland reports. That is 4.8 percentage points lower than in August 2025 (68.8%).

At the end of August 2026, 79,598 people were waiting for a new outpatient appointment with NHS Lothian, Public Health Scotland reports. That is down 21% from 100,679 in August 2025.

In April to June 2026, 65.7% of patients on the 62-day cancer pathway at NHS Lothian started treatment within 62 days, Public Health Scotland reports. That is 9.4 percentage points lower than in July to September 2024 (75.1%). That is 29.3 points below the 95% the standard sets out.

At the end of June 2026, 25.8% of the people on the diagnostic waiting list at NHS Lothian had been waiting six weeks or more, Public Health Scotland reports. That is 31.5 percentage points lower than in June 2025 (57.3%). It is the lowest figure in the 13 periods shown here.

Planned care waiting times

Waiting for new outpatient appointment
79,598
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Waiting more than 12 weeks for new outpatient appointment
40,559
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Standard: Public Health Scotland: the new outpatient national standard is that 95% of new outpatients should wait no longer than 12 weeks from referral to being seen. Source
Waiting more than 52 weeks for new outpatient appointment
3,188
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Waiting for inpatient or day case treatment
21,858
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Waiting more than 12 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment
13,026
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Standard: Public Health Scotland: under the Treatment Time Guarantee all eligible patients should wait no longer than 12 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment after the decision to treat. Source
Waiting more than 52 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment
1,501
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
101k80k August 2025August 2026
62k39k August 2025August 2026
20k3,188 August 2025August 2026
22k21k August 2025August 2026
13k12k August 2025August 2026
3,8401,501 August 2025August 2026
Waiting for new outpatient appointment
August 2025100,679
September 202599,160
October 202597,218
November 202593,584
December 202590,014
January 202688,155
February 202686,355
March 202683,294
April 202680,835
May 202680,098
June 202679,514
July 202680,351
August 202679,598
Waiting more than 12 weeks for new outpatient appointment
August 202562,165
September 202560,732
October 202558,743
November 202555,723
December 202553,481
January 202651,669
February 202649,439
March 202642,578
April 202641,187
May 202640,173
June 202639,241
July 202640,512
August 202640,559
Waiting more than 52 weeks for new outpatient appointment
August 202520,117
September 202519,045
October 202517,930
November 202516,147
December 202513,642
January 202611,168
February 20269,233
March 20266,422
April 20265,536
May 20264,729
June 20264,113
July 20263,718
August 20263,188
Waiting for inpatient or day case treatment
August 202521,523
September 202521,435
October 202521,430
November 202521,559
December 202521,794
January 202622,028
February 202621,853
March 202621,805
April 202622,192
May 202622,095
June 202622,395
July 202622,295
August 202621,858
Waiting more than 12 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment
August 202513,342
September 202512,873
October 202512,473
November 202512,487
December 202512,764
January 202613,030
February 202613,125
March 202612,375
April 202612,767
May 202612,894
June 202612,643
July 202612,932
August 202613,026
Waiting more than 52 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment
August 20253,840
September 20253,451
October 20253,160
November 20252,979
December 20252,806
January 20262,593
February 20262,309
March 20262,012
April 20261,876
May 20261,813
June 20261,670
July 20261,582
August 20261,501

A&E

A&E: seen within 4 hours
64.0%
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Standard: Public Health Scotland: since 2007 the national standard is that new and unplanned return attendances at an A&E service should be seen and then admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours. Source
A&E: waits of more than 12 hours (emergency departments)
941
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Counts emergency department attendances where the patient spent more than 12 hours from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge.
69.2%0.0% August 2025August 2026
1,951717 August 2025August 2026
A&E: seen within 4 hours
August 202568.8%
September 202566.4%
October 202567.3%
November 202567.9%
December 202565.8%
January 202663.1%
February 202662.6%
March 202665.0%
April 202665.5%
May 202664.9%
June 202666.0%
July 202669.2%
August 202664.0%
A&E: waits of more than 12 hours (emergency departments)
August 20251,122
September 20251,044
October 20251,123
November 20251,245
December 20251,530
January 20261,951
February 20261,605
March 20261,419
April 20261,070
May 20261,556
June 20261,071
July 2026717
August 2026941

Cancer waiting times

Cancer: treated within 62 days
65.7%
April to June 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Standard: Public Health Scotland: the 62-day standard states that 95% of eligible patients should wait no longer than 62 days from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to first cancer treatment. Source
Quarterly. Counted against the health board that received the referral, as Public Health Scotland measures it.
80.8%0.0% July to September 2024April to June 2026
Cancer: treated within 62 days
July to September 202475.1%
October to December 202480.8%
January to March 202571.0%
April to June 202572.9%
July to September 202567.0%
October to December 202565.5%
January to March 202664.2%
April to June 202665.7%

Diagnostic tests

Waiting more than six weeks for a key diagnostic test
25.8%
June 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Standard: Public Health Scotland: the national waiting times standard is that patients should wait no longer than six weeks (42 days) for the eight key diagnostic tests. Source
Waiting for a key diagnostic test
14,805
June 2026 · Public Health Scotland
60.6%0.0% June 2025June 2026
29k15k June 2025June 2026
Waiting more than six weeks for a key diagnostic test
June 202557.3%
July 202560.6%
August 202559.7%
September 202556.7%
October 202555.8%
November 202553.1%
December 202555.1%
January 202652.7%
February 202644.5%
March 202636.5%
April 202633.6%
May 202630.4%
June 202625.8%
Waiting for a key diagnostic test
June 202528,831
July 202527,940
August 202527,212
September 202526,096
October 202524,219
November 202522,904
December 202522,689
January 202622,148
February 202620,397
March 202617,463
April 202616,007
May 202615,825
June 202614,805

Hospital sites

Main hospital sites registered to NHS Lothian in the NHS Organisation Data Service. Figures on this page are for the whole organisation, not for individual sites.

Comparing the UK nations

Scotland reports waits by stage of treatment (new outpatient appointment, then inpatient or day case treatment) against 12-week standards, and diagnostic waits against six weeks. England and Wales count whole referral-to-treatment pathways, so the figures are not directly comparable.

Local areas

Council areas linked to this organisation: City of Edinburgh · East Lothian · Midlothian · West Lothian

Where NHS Lothian sits in the ladder of power

The bodies above NHS Lothian and the council areas it serves. How the ten levels work.

  3. Level 7: Regional blocs and supranational bodies

  4. Level 8: The UN and global treaty bodies

  5. Level 9: The IMF, World Bank and global finance

    • International Monetary Fund (IMF) The UK has been a member since 27 December 1945 and has a quota of SDR 20,155.1 million (IMF country page for the United Kingdom).
    • World Bank Group (WBG) The UK holds 3.75% of voting power in the IBRD (data as of 30 June 2026) and 6.92% in IDA (as of 30 June 2026), according to the World Bank's voting tables.

  6. Level 10: G7, G20, Davos and global forums

    • G7 The UK is one of the seven members.
    • G20 The UK is a G20 member.

Related figures

NHS waiting list (England) · NHS employment

Sources

NHS trusts and health boards · how these figures are presented · built 15 October 2026