Gynaecology covers conditions of the female reproductive system, from heavy bleeding to prolapse. At the end of June 2026, 538,880 people in England were waiting for gynaecology treatment. Just 61% were seen within the 18-week target, and 10,819 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 gynaecology waits are worst
| NHS trust | People waiting | Seen within 18 weeks | Waiting over a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northampton General Hospital | 3,709 | 45% | 18 |
| University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire | 6,855 | 47% | 241 |
| Blackpool Teaching Hospitals | 3,174 | 48% | 373 |
| Bolton | 3,345 | 48% | 78 |
| Buckinghamshire Healthcare | 3,829 | 48% | 34 |
| Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals | 6,211 | 49% | 399 |
| Hull University Teaching Hospitals | 6,714 | 49% | 419 |
| Cambridge University Hospitals | 4,485 | 49% | 228 |
| East Sussex Healthcare | 5,378 | 50% | 87 |
| Mid and South Essex | 14,083 | 50% | 589 |
| North Cumbria Integrated Care | 3,663 | 50% | 181 |
| York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals | 3,572 | 51% | 14 |
The 18-week target is the point at which the NHS says treatment should have started. In the trusts above, most gynaecology patients had already waited longer.
Skip the queue with private treatment
Nobody wants to spend months on a gynaecology waiting list. A self-pay hysteroscopy costs around £3,119, and cover pays for treatment like it in full, usually within weeks. 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 gynaecology cost? A common gynaecology procedure such as hysteroscopy costs around £3,119 self-pay, and private medical insurance covers it when 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.