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NHS Orkney

health board · Scotland · Scotland · code S08000025

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

In August 2026, 95.2% of A&E attendances at NHS Orkney ended in admission, transfer or discharge within 4 hours, Public Health Scotland reports. That is 3.4 percentage points higher than in August 2025 (91.8%).

At the end of August 2026, 1,398 people were waiting for a new outpatient appointment with NHS Orkney, Public Health Scotland reports. That is up 4% from 1,344 in August 2025.

In April to June 2026, 46.2% of patients on the 62-day cancer pathway at NHS Orkney started treatment within 62 days, Public Health Scotland reports. That is 20.5 percentage points lower than in July to September 2024 (66.7%). That is 48.8 points below the 95% the standard sets out.

At the end of June 2026, 13.2% of the people on the diagnostic waiting list at NHS Orkney had been waiting six weeks or more, Public Health Scotland reports. That is 25.8 percentage points lower than in June 2025 (39.0%).

Planned care waiting times

Waiting for new outpatient appointment
1,398
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Waiting more than 12 weeks for new outpatient appointment
718
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
22
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Waiting for inpatient or day case treatment
405
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Waiting more than 12 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment
239
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
78
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
1,4831,154 August 2025August 2026
718480 August 2025August 2026
235 August 2025August 2026
452394 August 2025August 2026
264101 August 2025August 2026
881 August 2025August 2026
Waiting for new outpatient appointment
August 20251,344
September 20251,237
October 20251,280
November 20251,188
December 20251,238
January 20261,242
February 20261,154
March 20261,239
April 20261,305
May 20261,416
June 20261,477
July 20261,483
August 20261,398
Waiting more than 12 weeks for new outpatient appointment
August 2025653
September 2025564
October 2025535
November 2025480
December 2025521
January 2026566
February 2026511
March 2026480
April 2026525
May 2026614
June 2026622
July 2026653
August 2026718
Waiting more than 52 weeks for new outpatient appointment
August 202511
September 202512
October 202519
November 20258
December 202510
January 20265
February 20268
March 20268
April 202613
May 202610
June 202610
July 202623
August 202622
Waiting for inpatient or day case treatment
August 2025437
September 2025441
October 2025452
November 2025412
December 2025401
January 2026398
February 2026401
March 2026400
April 2026395
May 2026394
June 2026411
July 2026399
August 2026405
Waiting more than 12 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment
August 2025101
September 2025149
October 2025264
November 2025220
December 2025234
January 2026244
February 2026224
March 2026210
April 2026223
May 2026220
June 2026240
July 2026240
August 2026239
Waiting more than 52 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment
August 20251
September 20253
October 202526
November 20257
December 20256
January 20263
February 20261
March 20261
April 20261
May 20261
June 20263
July 202688
August 202678

A&E

A&E: seen within 4 hours
95.2%
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)
0
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Counts emergency department attendances where the patient spent more than 12 hours from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge.
95.3%0.0% August 2025August 2026
20 August 2025August 2026
A&E: seen within 4 hours
August 202591.8%
September 202594.8%
October 202589.9%
November 202593.5%
December 202595.0%
January 202691.6%
February 202690.1%
March 202695.3%
April 202693.8%
May 202695.3%
June 202693.9%
July 202691.8%
August 202695.2%
A&E: waits of more than 12 hours (emergency departments)
August 20250
September 20251
October 20251
November 20251
December 20250
January 20260
February 20262
March 20260
April 20260
May 20260
June 20260
July 20261
August 20260

Cancer waiting times

Cancer: treated within 62 days
46.2%
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.
75.0%0.0% July to September 2024April to June 2026
Cancer: treated within 62 days
July to September 202466.7%
October to December 202457.1%
January to March 202557.1%
April to June 202550.0%
July to September 202575.0%
October to December 202528.6%
January to March 202671.4%
April to June 202646.2%

Diagnostic tests

Waiting more than six weeks for a key diagnostic test
13.2%
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
265
June 2026 · Public Health Scotland
44.0%0.0% June 2025June 2026
392207 June 2025June 2026
Waiting more than six weeks for a key diagnostic test
June 202539.0%
July 202544.0%
August 202530.3%
September 202518.4%
October 202516.1%
November 202512.2%
December 202532.3%
January 202630.0%
February 202620.9%
March 202626.3%
April 202636.5%
May 202615.5%
June 202613.2%
Waiting for a key diagnostic test
June 2025292
July 2025309
August 2025271
September 2025293
October 2025279
November 2025392
December 2025387
January 2026373
February 2026311
March 2026315
April 2026359
May 2026207
June 2026265

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: Orkney Islands

Where NHS Orkney sits in the ladder of power

The bodies above NHS Orkney 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