Referral to Treatment Waiting Times (RTT)

In England, under the NHS Constitution, patients 'have the right to access certain services commissioned by NHS bodies within maximum waiting times, or for the NHS to take all reasonable steps to offer a range of suitable alternative providers if this is not possible'. NHS England collects and publishes monthly referral to treatment (RTT) data, which are used to monitor NHS waiting times performance against the standards set out in the National Health Service Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups (Responsibilities and Standing Rules) Regulations 2012, and the 2015 amendment.

Monthly RTT waiting times data has been published since March 2007. Initially data was only published for patients whose RTT pathways ended in admission for treatment (admitted pathways). Non-admitted pathway data (patients whose RTT pathways ended for reasons other than admission for treatment) has been published since August 2007. Incomplete RTT pathway data (waiting times for patients waiting to start treatment at the end of the reporting period) has also been published since August 2007. Adjusted admitted RTT pathway data was published from March 2008 to September 2015. Incomplete RTT pathway with a decision to admit for treatment data and New RTT period data has been published since October 2015.

NHS England publishes these data each month. For further information please visit the NHS England website.

The submission window opens on the first working day every month and remains open for 13 working days.