Glue ear waiting times
How long the wait for glue ear and grommets really is, what it looks like at your own hospital, and the honest routes: the NHS, a private hearing test to be seen faster, or going private for grommets.
Updated August 2026 · NHS RTT data
The typical NHS wait
Across England, half of Ear, Nose & Throat patients are treated within 25 weeks; the average is 29, and 1 in 5 wait longer than 50 weeks. Your own hospital's wait is what matters: check it now.
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Your four options
We don't tell you which to pick. Here is the honest shape of each; your own figures are in the free dashboard.
Wait where you are on the NHS. There is nothing to pay and your care stays exactly as it is. How long you wait depends on your hospital.
Ask to be seen at a different NHS hospital with a shorter queue, for the same free NHS care. Often faster, with nothing to pay.
Pay to be diagnosed sooner, then have your treatment on the NHS. A targeted spend, not the full private cost.
Pay for your diagnosis and treatment privately and skip the NHS wait altogether. The fastest route, and the most expensive.
See your own figures for each option →
Fastest hospitals in England
- Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, Reading4 weeks
- Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Cheshire West and Chester7 weeks
- United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Lincoln7 weeks
- Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, Wiltshire8 weeks
- South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Middlesbrough9 weeks
Admitted RTT pathway, August 2026. Source: NHS RTT.
About glue ear
What it is
Glue ear is a build-up of fluid deep inside the ear, in the space behind the eardrum called the middle ear. It is very common in young children, though it can affect adults too. The main effect is dulled or muffled hearing, because the fluid stops the eardrum and the tiny ear bones moving freely. It often follows a cold or an ear infection, and it is usually painless. Because it makes hearing harder, it can sometimes affect a child's speech, learning or behaviour for a while.
How it is usually treated
Most cases of glue ear clear up on their own within about three months, so the first step is usually a period of watchful waiting with a hearing check. During this time, a technique called autoinflation, where a child blows up a special balloon through their nose, can sometimes help. If the fluid and the hearing loss carry on, treatment options include small tubes called grommets, which are inserted into the eardrum under a short general anaesthetic to drain the fluid and let air in, or hearing aids as an alternative to surgery. Grommets are sometimes also used for children who keep getting middle ear infections.
After treatment
When glue ear clears, hearing usually returns to normal. Grommets typically stay in place for several months to around a year and then fall out by themselves as the eardrum heals, without needing to be removed. Hearing usually improves straight away after they are fitted. Glue ear can come back after grommets fall out, so a follow-up hearing check is normal. Keeping away from cigarette smoke helps reduce the chance of it returning.
General information only, not medical advice. Your GP or specialist will advise on your own situation.
More NHS waiting times
Written by the Wait or Pay team and sourced to the NHS. Last updated October 2026.
How long will you really wait, and how could you go sooner?
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