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NHS Shetland

health board · Scotland · Scotland · code S08000026

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

In August 2026, 81.5% of A&E attendances at NHS Shetland ended in admission, transfer or discharge within 4 hours, Public Health Scotland reports. That is 3.6 percentage points lower than in August 2025 (85.1%).

At the end of August 2026, 1,448 people were waiting for a new outpatient appointment with NHS Shetland, Public Health Scotland reports. That is down 4% from 1,514 in August 2025.

In April to June 2026, 57.9% of patients on the 62-day cancer pathway at NHS Shetland started treatment within 62 days, Public Health Scotland reports. That is 24.7 percentage points lower than in July to September 2024 (82.6%). That is 37.1 points below the 95% the standard sets out.

At the end of June 2026, 28.1% of the people on the diagnostic waiting list at NHS Shetland had been waiting six weeks or more, Public Health Scotland reports. That is 21.6 percentage points higher than in June 2025 (6.5%).

Planned care waiting times

Waiting for new outpatient appointment
1,448
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Waiting more than 12 weeks for new outpatient appointment
560
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
7
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Waiting for inpatient or day case treatment
476
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Waiting more than 12 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment
304
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
40
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
1,5681,331 August 2025August 2026
739523 August 2025August 2026
787 August 2025August 2026
504375 August 2025August 2026
304175 August 2025August 2026
5118 August 2025August 2026
Waiting for new outpatient appointment
August 20251,514
September 20251,529
October 20251,537
November 20251,533
December 20251,501
January 20261,568
February 20261,450
March 20261,331
April 20261,350
May 20261,418
June 20261,511
July 20261,501
August 20261,448
Waiting more than 12 weeks for new outpatient appointment
August 2025704
September 2025739
October 2025716
November 2025669
December 2025584
January 2026659
February 2026604
March 2026523
April 2026575
May 2026593
June 2026586
July 2026544
August 2026560
Waiting more than 52 weeks for new outpatient appointment
August 202549
September 202574
October 202578
November 202558
December 202542
January 202647
February 202621
March 20269
April 202610
May 20267
June 202614
July 20268
August 20267
Waiting for inpatient or day case treatment
August 2025412
September 2025375
October 2025385
November 2025400
December 2025405
January 2026389
February 2026432
March 2026460
April 2026485
May 2026463
June 2026488
July 2026504
August 2026476
Waiting more than 12 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment
August 2025201
September 2025182
October 2025176
November 2025175
December 2025188
January 2026187
February 2026204
March 2026198
April 2026217
May 2026259
June 2026287
July 2026302
August 2026304
Waiting more than 52 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment
August 202520
September 202518
October 202521
November 202522
December 202524
January 202624
February 202624
March 202637
April 202642
May 202635
June 202629
July 202651
August 202640

A&E

A&E: seen within 4 hours
81.5%
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)
1
August 2026 · Public Health Scotland
Counts emergency department attendances where the patient spent more than 12 hours from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge.
88.8%0.0% August 2025August 2026
20 August 2025August 2026
A&E: seen within 4 hours
August 202585.1%
September 202583.9%
October 202586.0%
November 202581.0%
December 202583.7%
January 202688.8%
February 202681.5%
March 202687.3%
April 202681.7%
May 202682.9%
June 202686.9%
July 202684.2%
August 202681.5%
A&E: waits of more than 12 hours (emergency departments)
August 20252
September 20251
October 20251
November 20252
December 20251
January 20260
February 20260
March 20262
April 20260
May 20261
June 20261
July 20260
August 20261

Cancer waiting times

Cancer: treated within 62 days
57.9%
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.
88.2%0.0% July to September 2024April to June 2026
Cancer: treated within 62 days
July to September 202482.6%
October to December 202457.1%
January to March 202560.0%
April to June 202582.1%
July to September 202560.0%
October to December 202566.7%
January to March 202688.2%
April to June 202657.9%

Diagnostic tests

Waiting more than six weeks for a key diagnostic test
28.1%
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
349
June 2026 · Public Health Scotland
35.3%0.0% June 2025June 2026
352259 June 2025June 2026
Waiting more than six weeks for a key diagnostic test
June 20256.5%
July 202532.1%
August 202522.7%
September 202524.7%
October 202523.1%
November 202510.6%
December 202516.8%
January 202630.9%
February 202635.3%
March 202619.3%
April 202624.9%
May 202626.7%
June 202628.1%
Waiting for a key diagnostic test
June 2025324
July 2025352
August 2025308
September 2025287
October 2025264
November 2025283
December 2025291
January 2026259
February 2026283
March 2026306
April 2026337
May 2026344
June 2026349

Hospital sites

Main hospital sites registered to NHS Shetland 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: Shetland Islands

Where NHS Shetland sits in the ladder of power

The bodies above NHS Shetland 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