Cardiothoracic surgery covers operations on the heart, lungs and chest. At the end of June 2026, 7,320 people in England were waiting for cardiothoracic surgery treatment. Just 74% were seen within the 18-week target, and 136 had already waited more than a year — the sort of queue private treatment can skip for anything you are not already being treated for.
Where cardiothoracic surgery waits are worst
| NHS trust | People waiting | Seen within 18 weeks | Waiting over a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackpool Teaching Hospitals | 938 | 50% | 95 |
| University Hospitals Plymouth | 541 | 56% | 19 |
| University Hospitals Bristol and Weston | 404 | 70% | 0 |
| Imperial College Healthcare | 573 | 74% | 0 |
| University Hospitals of Leicester | 462 | 77% | 3 |
| Hull University Teaching Hospitals | 367 | 77% | 9 |
| University Hospitals of North Midlands | 214 | 79% | 0 |
| University Hospital Southampton | 511 | 79% | 2 |
| Leeds Teaching Hospitals | 509 | 79% | 1 |
| South Tees Hospitals | 364 | 81% | 1 |
| University Hospitals Birmingham | 185 | 83% | 0 |
| Nottingham University Hospitals | 245 | 83% | 0 |
The 18-week target is the point at which the NHS says treatment should have started. In the trusts above, most cardiothoracic surgery patients had already waited longer.
Skip the queue with private treatment
Nobody wants to spend months on a cardiothoracic surgery waiting list. Private cover can have you seen by a consultant in days, not months. It will not pay for a condition you are already waiting on, so arrange it before a problem starts — compare cover, see if it is worth it, or get a free quote.
Frequently asked questions
What does private cardiothoracic surgery cost? Private hospitals publish self-pay prices, and cover pays for treatment arranged before symptoms begin.
Can I switch to private care once I am on the NHS list? You can pay privately at any time, but insurance will not cover a condition you are already waiting to have treated — that is why cover is worth arranging while you are well.
Source: NHS England Referral to Treatment (RTT) and Diagnostics (DM01) waiting-times statistics, June 2026; self-pay figures from UK private hospitals’ own published price lists. Waiting-list figures change monthly.