"Waiting for operation dates"

Thank you for your feedback. Since December 2008, the longest you should wait after being referred by your GP until you start your treatment is 18 weeks - that is, unless you choose to delay treatment or there is a clinical reason why you should wait longer. Choose and Book will offer you a list of hospitals to choose from, together with a range of available appointment dates and times. You can then decide to go to a particular hospital even if it means you will have to wait longer, or to have an earlier appointment at another hospital. Waiting times through the Choose and Book system vary depending on the contracts each hospital has with its local NHS base. Information about waiting times at different hospitals is available on the NHS Choices website [ http://www.chooseandbook.nhs.uk/patients/wait/#01 ].