Surgery Waits

Public hospital surgery waiting times in New South Wales

In 2024–25, New South Wales's median waits ranged from 2 days for unhealed fracture repair to 348 days for droopy eyelid repair, across 98 public hospitals.

Reference period 2024–25 (1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025) · released 28 May 2026.

New South Wales public hospitals report their planned-surgery waiting times to the national collection once a year. This page brings the state's figures together: every surgery type with a published state median, every hospital, and the urgency-category performance — each linking to the detailed comparison.

Compare this near you → On the compare page, pick a surgery and type your suburb to see the public hospitals within reach, ordered by their published wait. Nothing you type there is kept.

Waiting times by surgery in New South Wales

Median waiting time by surgery type in New South Wales public hospitals, 2024–25, shortest first. Surgeries with the same median share a rank. Every figure was released on 2026-05-28.
Rank Surgery State median National median Waited more than 365 days Hospitals reporting
1 Unhealed fracture repair 2 days 5 days 0.6% 45
2 Curettage and evacuation of uterus 7 days 4 days 0.3% 61
3 Dialysis access surgery 10 days 15 days 0.3% 42
4 Testicle removal 14 days 11 days 1.2% 38
5 Brain surgery through the skull (craniotomy) 15 days 20 days 1.0% 14
6 Armpit lymph node removal 16 days 12 days 0.0% 34
7 Major neck lymph node surgery 18 days 15 days 1.8% 19
8 Breast lump removal 19 days 17 days 0.1% 56
8 Heart bypass surgery 19 days 19 days 0.0% 11
10 Large bowel surgery (colectomy) 20 days 18 days 1.0% 45
10 Lobectomy/wedge resection/pneumonectomy 20 days 17 days 0.0% 18
12 Breast removal 21 days 19 days 1.8% 45
13 Heart valve replacement 22 days 33 days 0.0% 10
14 Carotid artery plaque removal 23 days 20 days 0.3% 21
15 Femoro-popliteal bypass graft 24 days 23 days 0.0% 17
16 Voice box scope surgery 26 days 26 days 3.1% 31
17 Kidney drainage stent insertion 28 days 24 days 0.5% 36
17 Shock wave stone treatment 28 days 28 days 0.7% 28
19 Aortic aneurysm repair 30 days 24 days 0.0% 17
19 Skin lesion removal 30 days 26 days 1.4% 83
19 Urine passage widening 30 days 27 days 0.8% 30
22 Bladder scope (cystoscopy) 34 days 26 days 1.7% 59
22 Retina surgery 34 days 26 days 3.6% 14
24 LLETZ procedure 35 days 33 days 0.1% 58
25 Kidney removal 36 days 30 days 0.8% 32
26 Congenital cardiac defect/s - procedure for 37 days 74 days 0.0% 8
27 Prostate biopsy 38 days 33 days 0.1% 36
28 Bladder removal 40 days 29 days 1.0% 41
28 Dilatation and curettage 40 days 28 days 1.1% 66
30 Examination of eye under anaesthesia 43 days 34 days 2.4% 23
31 Salivary gland removal 44 days 45 days 5.6% 36
31 Tendon release 44 days 34 days 8.6% 49
33 Anal fissure repair 46 days 40 days 0.4% 59
33 Bartholin's abscess drainage 46 days 24 days 3.6% 39
35 Glaucoma drainage surgery 54 days 32 days 0.0% 21
36 Toenail surgery 55 days 48 days 3.6% 68
37 Spinal disc removal 56 days 41 days 8.8% 15
38 Gallbladder removal 58 days 48 days 3.2% 66
39 Kidney drainage blockage repair 63 days 41 days 6.1% 20
40 Keyhole belly surgery (laparoscopy) 70 days 69 days 6.0% 64
40 Thyroid gland removal 70 days 56 days 7.2% 43
42 Ovary and fallopian tube surgery 71 days 56 days 5.3% 58
42 Urinary stone removal 71 days 25 days 4.1% 26
44 Undescended testicle surgery 76 days 78 days 4.9% 26
45 Prostate surgery 77 days 55 days 5.0% 40
45 Womb lining removal (endometrial ablation) 77 days 71 days 6.5% 45
47 Haemorrhoid surgery 81 days 63 days 3.1% 75
48 Myomectomy 82 days 73 days 7.4% 25
49 Mastoid surgery behind the ear 86 days 99 days 14.1% 26
49 Myringotomy (without insertion of grommets) 86 days 59 days 8.3% 16
49 Tailbone cyst surgery 86 days 65 days 4.9% 56
52 Cleft lip and palate repair 87 days 80 days 1.1% 8
52 Spinal bone removal (laminectomy) 87 days 66 days 14.0% 18
54 Reflux surgery 92 days 90 days 9.6% 26
55 Circumcision 94 days 80 days 11.4% 60
56 Breast implant removal 96 days 96 days 16.1% 35
56 Carpal tunnel surgery 96 days 71 days 8.9% 71
58 Parathyroid gland removal 98 days 82 days 7.5% 37
59 Hysterectomy 99 days 74 days 12.2% 55
60 Inguinal hernia repair 101 days 73 days 8.1% 74
61 Hiatus hernia repair 104 days 88 days 14.1% 34
62 Joint replacement revision 115 days 77 days 10.7% 31
62 Trapped nerve release (other nerves) 115 days 96 days 13.2% 41
64 Eardrum drainage 120 days 80 days 10.3% 41
65 Shoulder decompression surgery 127 days 92 days 9.7% 21
66 Grommets 128 days 90 days 10.5% 41
67 Scar revision 131 days 83 days 7.6% 42
68 Hernia repair 132 days 86 days 10.6% 80
69 ACL reconstruction 134 days 81 days 9.8% 53
69 Keyhole joint surgery 134 days 78 days 10.8% 58
69 Tongue-tie or lip-tie surgery 134 days 50 days 16.6% 34
72 Torn knee cartilage removal 142 days 57 days 7.9% 33
73 Dermoid cyst - removal of 146 days 86 days 13.1% 37
74 Neck disc removal and fusion 153 days 94 days 19.2% 13
75 Trigger finger release 157 days 90 days 13.2% 60
76 Epididymal cyst - removal of 158 days 116 days 10.9% 51
77 Hydrocele surgery 170 days 95 days 14.7% 60
78 Bone realignment surgery 180 days 135 days 16.4% 47
79 Breast reconstruction 194 days 146 days 16.5% 28
80 Rotator cuff repair 247 days 111 days 20.9% 44
81 Ganglion cyst removal 250 days 105 days 17.8% 60
82 Prolapse repair 251 days 165 days 20.0% 52
83 Varicose vein surgery 255 days 133 days 9.4% 37
84 Hip replacement 265 days 130 days 20.9% 44
85 Female sterilisation 267 days 129 days 18.9% 42
86 Cataract surgery 268 days 106 days 22.0% 50
87 Shoulder reconstruction 272 days 88 days 13.4% 23
88 Adenoid removal 274 days 144 days 18.3% 37
89 Out-turned eyelid repair 275 days 136 days 23.0% 30
90 Squint surgery 281 days 155 days 25.4% 17
91 Hypospadias - repair of 284 days 114 days 23.5% 10
92 Bunion surgery 285 days 183 days 20.8% 40
93 Breast reduction 296 days 309 days 20.0% 30
94 Dacryocystorhinostomy 307 days 254 days 28.7% 17
94 Joint fusion surgery 307 days 158 days 23.6% 48
96 Keyhole sinus surgery 310 days 214 days 19.6% 33
97 Turbinate surgery (inside the nose) 320 days 269 days 16.5% 25
98 Tonsillectomy 322 days 182 days 21.2% 41
99 Shoulder joint replacement 325 days 174 days 30.9% 48
100 Dupuytren's contracture surgery 329 days 150 days 27.7% 54
101 Eardrum repair 330 days 264 days 27.9% 37
102 Excess eyelid skin removal 335 days 246 days 27.0% 26
103 Deviated septum surgery 340 days 320 days 26.6% 35
103 Knee replacement 340 days 255 days 31.3% 45
105 Nose and throat scope 343 days 277 days 25.5% 28
106 Pterygium (eye growth) removal 346 days 197 days 32.1% 36
107 Droopy eyelid repair 348 days 238 days 36.0% 25

Treated on time, by urgency category

Urgency figures cover all planned surgery at the hospital, not one procedure. They are never combined with the procedure figures. What each category means, with every hospital compared nationally, is on the urgency categories pages.

Share of patients treated within the clinically recommended time at New South Wales public hospitals, by urgency category, 2024–25. Ranked on Category 1 (urgent); hospitals with the same figure share a rank. Every figure was released on 2026-05-28.
RankHospitalCategory 1 (urgent)Category 2 (semi-urgent)Category 3 (non-urgent)
1 Auburn Hospital100%92%91%
1 Ballina District Hospital100%97%99%
1 Bankstown Lidcombe Hospital100%73%75%
1 Blacktown Hospital100%91%91%
1 Bowral Hospital100%98%79%
1 Calvary Mater Newcastle100%100%94%
1 Campbelltown Hospital100%71%78%
1 Canterbury Hospital100%100%98%
1 Coffs Harbour Hospital100%86%62%
1 Concord Repatriation Hospital100%100%100%
1 Cooma Hospital and Health Service100%100%100%
1 Deniliquin Hospital100%83%87%
1 Dubbo Hospital100%77%62%
1 Fairfield Hospital100%97%80%
1 Gloucester Soldiers' Memorial Hospital100%100%100%
1 Griffith Base Hospital100%97%99%
1 Hawkesbury Hospital100%93%91%
1 Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital100%89%93%
1 John Hunter Hospital100%66%37%
1 Kurri Kurri Hospital100%68%68%
1 Lachlan Health Service - Forbes100%84%95%
1 Lachlan Health Service - Parkes100%95%89%
1 Lithgow Hospital100%100%99%
1 Liverpool Hospital100%68%57%
1 Moree Hospital100%90%88%
1 Mount Druitt Hospital100%99%99%
1 Mudgee Health Service100%96%92%
1 Nepean Hospital100%73%75%
1 Northern Beaches Hospital100%100%100%
1 Orange Health Service100%83%83%
1 Port Macquarie Base Hospital100%76%60%
1 Queanbeyan Hospital100%100%100%
1 Royal Hospital for Women100%92%96%
1 Royal North Shore Hospital100%63%65%
1 Royal Prince Alfred Hospital100%100%100%
1 Royal Prince Alfred Institute of Rheumatology & Orthopaedics100%100%100%
1 Ryde Hospital100%99%97%
1 Scott Memorial Hospital, Scone100%96%100%
1 Shoalhaven Hospital100%68%63%
1 Singleton Hospital100%100%100%
1 South East Regional Hospital100%99%99%
1 St Vincent's Hospital [Darlinghurst]100%92%95%
1 Sutherland Hospital100%81%79%
1 Sydney Children's Hospital100%80%75%
1 Sydney Hospital / Sydney Eye Hospital100%46%35%
1 Temora Hospital100%91%96%
1 The Children's Hospital at Westmead100%98%82%
1 Wagga Wagga Hospital100%83%69%
1 Westmead Hospital100%64%47%
1 Wollongong Hospital100%83%73%
51 Armidale Hospital99%97%89%
51 Belmont Hospital99%85%84%
51 Blue Mountains Hospital99%92%93%
51 Cessnock Hospital99%75%93%
51 Goulburn Base Hospital99%100%99%
51 Maitland Hospital99%64%43%
51 Manning Hospital99%60%60%
51 Moruya Hospital99%100%100%
51 Muswellbrook Hospital99%100%100%
51 Prince of Wales Hospital99%86%74%
51 Shellharbour Hospital99%78%65%
51 Tamworth Hospital99%94%83%
51 Wauchope District Memorial Hospital99%85%95%
64 Kempsey District Hospital98%92%99%
64 St George Hospital NSW98%61%67%
64 Wyong Hospital98%85%90%
64 Young Hospital98%85%96%
68 Bathurst Base Hospital97%91%87%
69 Gosford Hospital96%63%69%
70 Murwillumbah District Hospital95%88%82%
71 Casino and District Memorial Hospital94%98%100%
71 Tweed Valley Hospital94%78%89%
73 Cowra Health Service93%88%85%
73 Grafton Base Hospital93%80%62%
73 Macksville District Hospital93%33%37%
76 Broken Hill Hospital91%79%82%
77 Lismore Base Hospital87%61%59%
unranked Batemans Bay Hospitalnot published86%77%
unranked Bellinger River District Hospitalnot publishednot publishednot published
unranked Bourke Multi Purpose Servicenot published62%94%
unranked Coonabarabran Health Servicenot publishednot publishednot published
unranked Cootamundra Hospitalnot published60%100%
unranked Corowa Health Servicenot publishednot publishednot published
unranked Glen Innes Hospitalnot publishednot publishednot published
unranked Gunnedah Hospitalnot publishednot publishednot published
unranked Inverell Hospitalnot published33%84%
unranked Narrabri Hospitalnot published100%100%
unranked Narrandera Hospitalnot publishednot publishednot published
unranked Tumut Hospitalnot published98%not published

Across the border from New South Wales

A public hospital referral can cross a state border, and near a border the shorter published wait is often on the other side. These are the biggest published differences involving New South Wales hospitals in 2024–25 — the full cross-border comparison explains how they are computed, and the referral guide explains what crossing the border involves.

Biggest published cross-border differences in median wait involving New South Wales, 2024–25. Hospitals within 100 km of each other, straight-line. A shorter median is not a recommendation.
Surgery Longer wait Across the border Distance Difference
Eardrum repair Lismore Base HospitalNSW · 736 days Gold Coast University HospitalQLD · 309 days 95 km 427 days
Prolapse repair Royal Brisbane & Women's HospitalQLD · 363 days Tweed Valley HospitalNSW · 28 days 96 km 335 days
Prolapse repair Ipswich HospitalQLD · 343 days Tweed Valley HospitalNSW · 28 days 99 km 315 days
Prolapse repair Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee HospitalQLD · 340 days Tweed Valley HospitalNSW · 28 days 84 km 312 days
Shoulder joint replacement Ipswich HospitalQLD · 339 days Tweed Valley HospitalNSW · 35 days 99 km 304 days

Compare a surgery at the big hospitals

Each link is one surgery at one hospital: the published median, the nearest alternatives — including across the border — and fourteen years of history.

Cite this page

In 2024–25, New South Wales's published median waits for planned surgery ranged from 2 days for unhealed fracture repair to 348 days for droopy eyelid repair, across 98 public hospitals (AIHW MyHospitals, released 28 May 2026).

Copy-ready citation

Surgery Waits, "Public hospital waiting lists in New South Wales", 2024–25 data released 28 May 2026, https://surgerywaits.au/state/nsw/, accessed 28 May 2026.

Attribution: Surgery Waits (https://surgerywaits.au/state/nsw/), from Australian Institute of Health and Welfare MyHospitals data, CC BY 3.0 AU. Reference period 2024–25, released 28 May 2026.

Every public hospital in New South Wales

Sorted by how many surgery types each reported for 2024–25. A hospital's own page lists every surgery it reports, its urgency-category figures and its history.

What is not here

Public hospitals only. Private hospitals do not report to this collection, so their waiting times cannot be compared here.

State medians cover everyone who had that surgery in the state, in all urgency categories together — how these figures are put together.