Eye care measures for NHS outpatients: September 2026

Data on new and follow up ophthalmology outpatients. 

It shows the numbers waiting within target date or within 25% beyond target date at the end of each month.

A target date is a clinically determined maximum waiting time following referral for an appointment. Patients are at risk of irreversible harm or significant adverse outcome if they are not seen within their target date. This is known as Health Risk Factor R1 (R1).

At the end of September 2026

• 157,885 patient pathways, where the patient was assessed as Health Risk Factor R1, were waiting for an outpatient appointment. 157,816 had a target date allocated.
• 50.0% patient pathways, assessed as R1, were waiting within their target date or within 25% beyond their target date.

During September 2026

• 25,325 appointments were attended where the patient had been assessed as Health Risk Factor R1. 23,134 had a target date allocated.
• 58.3% of appointments attended, assessed as R1, had waited within their target date or within 25% beyond their target date.

NHS Wales Performance 
Email: hss.performance@gov.wales 

Media: 0300 025 8099