UK’s Medical Wait Times: Regional Variability Revealed

GP Appointment Wait Times Across England

Recent research by GuardianCarers.co.uk has mapped the longest delays for general practitioner appointments across England’s 42 Integrated Care Boards (ICB). The study examined data from December 2022 to May 2025, highlighting regions that struggle most with waiting times exceeding 28 days.

Top Five Regions in Worst Appointments

• Gloucestershire – 8.59% of all appointments took longer than 28 days, 408,968 delays out of 4,758,638 total.
• Dorset – 6.88% delay rate, 370,827 out of 5,391,002 appointments.
• Norfolk & Waveney – 5.35% delays, 347,781 of 6,500,498 appointments.
• Somerset – 4.96% delays, 189,052 of 3,813,285 appointments.
• Sussex – 4.86% delays, 584,570 of 12,028,518 appointments.

Other Notable Boards

• Derby & Derbyshire – 4.59% delays, 356,925 of 7,780,078 appointments.
• Nottingham & Nottinghamshire – 4.56% delays, 377,367 of 8,276,001 appointments.
• Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland – 4.45% delays, 359,997 of 8,084,803 appointments.
• Bedfordshire, Luton & Milton Keynes – 4.30% delays, 269,512 of 6,271,119 appointments.
• Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin – 4.28% delays, 143,653 of 3,352,596 appointments.

Lowest Wait Times by Region

The ICB with the shortest delay rates is North Central London, where only 1.16% of appointments exceeded the 28‑day threshold. It is closely followed by South East London (1.30%) and North East London (1.32%).

Implications for NHS Funding

As debates on NHS funding intensify, these figures will likely influence allocations. Boards with high delays may receive priority funding to reduce waiting times, potentially reshaping service delivery across the country.