Nasal polyp removal waiting times
How long the wait really is, what it looks like at your own hospital, and the honest routes through it: the NHS, a targeted private step, or going fully private.
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 nasal polyps
What it is
Nasal polyps are soft, painless, non-cancerous growths inside the nose or sinuses. They're linked to long-term inflammation of the nose and sinuses and are more common in people with asthma. Symptoms include a blocked or runny nose, a reduced sense of smell or taste, and snoring.
How it is usually treated
Treatment usually starts with steroid nasal sprays or drops, sometimes with a short course of steroid tablets. If these don't help enough, surgery can remove the polyps. This is usually done under general anaesthetic using a thin camera passed through the nostrils, so there are no visible cuts.
After treatment
Steroid sprays or drops are the usual first treatment, and the effect is reviewed after about 12 weeks to see whether symptoms such as a blocked nose and reduced smell have improved. Polyps commonly grow back over time, usually within a few years, so many people keep using a steroid nasal spray long term to hold them in check. If the sprays and drops do not help enough after a few months, surgery to remove the polyps is a later option.
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.
What happens next with nasal polyps
The usual steps, from seeing your GP to recovery, and the questions people ask at each one.
Before referral
Who should I see?
See your GP about a blocked or runny nose or a reduced sense of smell that won’t settle. They can look in your nose, try a steroid spray, and refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) service if needed. Your NHS waiting time starts once a hospital receives a referral.
Source: NHS, Nasal polyps
Do nasal polyps always need surgery?
No. They’re often treated first with steroid sprays or drops, and surgery is considered if they don’t improve or keep coming back.
Source: NHS, Nasal polyps
Getting referred
How do I get referred?
Ask your GP to refer you to an ENT service. For most planned care you have a legal right to choose which hospital, including one with a shorter wait.
Source: NHS, Your choices in the NHS
Your first hospital appointment
What happens at the appointment?
An ENT specialist looks inside your nose, confirms the polyps, and talks through treatment, which may be medicines or an operation.
Source: NHS, Going into hospital
Will I have tests?
The specialist may use a thin camera to look inside your nose, and sometimes a scan.
Source: NHS, Nasal polyps
Deciding on treatment
What does the operation involve?
If surgery is needed, it’s usually keyhole surgery through the nostrils to remove the polyps, often as a day case.
Source: NHS, Nasal polyps
Should I plan time off work?
Most people need about a week off after surgery. Ask the hospital.
Source: NHS, Nasal polyps
On the waiting list
How long is the wait?
It varies by hospital. Wait or Pay shows the typical wait at each hospital, and the hospital can tell you your place.
Will I get a check before surgery?
Yes, most people have a pre-operative assessment a few weeks before.
Source: NHS, Having surgery
Should I plan driving and time off?
You won’t drive straight after an operation, so plan lifts.
Source: NHS, Nasal polyps
Recovery
How long is recovery?
Often around a week or two, and polyps can come back, so you may be given a steroid spray to use afterwards.
Source: NHS, Nasal polyps
What if I’ll be off work a while?
You may be able to get Statutory Sick Pay while you recover.
Source: GOV.UK, Statutory Sick Pay
How long will you really wait, and how could you go sooner?
Your free companion dashboard compares all four paths for nasal polyp removal: wait, switch to a faster NHS hospital, part-private, or fully private. It names the faster hospitals near you, shows what going private would cost, and gives you letters ready to send. You can print it or save it as a PDF. Free, and nothing is locked or paid.
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