Public ENT waiting time 2026: how long new Ear, Nose and Throat cases wait in each Hospital Authority cluster
From October 2025 to September 2026, the median waiting time for stable new cases in the Hospital Authority's Ear, Nose and Throat specialty ranged from 25 to 53 weeks by cluster (about 6 to 12 months); the medians for urgent and semi-urgent new cases were about 1 week or less and 4 to 7 weeks respectively. The actual order is decided by healthcare staff according to the patient's condition.
How long do new Ear, Nose and Throat cases wait in each cluster?
The table below shows the new-case waiting times at the Hospital Authority's Ear, Nose and Throat specialist outpatient clinics by cluster. From October 2025 to September 2026 there were 103,633 booked Ear, Nose and Throat new cases, about 72% of them stable new cases.
‘Stable (90th percentile)’ is what the Hospital Authority calls the ‘longest’ waiting time: nine in ten stable new cases were seen before this point; it does not mean you will necessarily wait this long. For how to read the figures, see how to read Hospital Authority waiting times.
| Hospital cluster | Urgent (median) | Semi-urgent (median) | Stable (median) | Stable (90th percentile) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong East | Less than 1 week | 6 weeks | 25 weeks | 52 weeks |
| Hong Kong West | Less than 1 week | 7 weeks | 25 weeks | 52 weeks |
| Kowloon Central | Less than 1 week | 4 weeks | 38 weeks | 54 weeks |
| Kowloon East | Less than 1 week | 5 weeks | 53 weeks | 83 weeks |
| Kowloon West | 1 week | 4 weeks | 40 weeks | 84 weeks |
| New Territories East | Less than 1 week | 5 weeks | 32 weeks | 79 weeks |
| New Territories West | Less than 1 week | 5 weeks | 33 weeks | 53 weeks |
How is the order of the wait decided?
Referred cases are usually first assessed by a nurse and then reviewed by a specialist, and are classified into three categories: urgent, semi-urgent and stable. The Hospital Authority's target is to keep the median waiting time for urgent and semi-urgent new cases within two weeks and eight weeks respectively.
You can choose to book in another cluster, but healthcare staff might, depending on your condition, advise you to attend a clinic near your home.
How do I book a new Ear, Nose and Throat case?
Specialist outpatient clinics mainly treat patients referred by Family Medicine Clinics, private doctors or family doctors.
To book a new case you need a referral letter issued within the past three months by a locally registered doctor; for some specialties requests can be submitted through the ‘BookHA’ feature in HA Go, subject to what the app shows.
If your condition gets worse while you wait, you can contact the clinic to ask for an earlier appointment; in an emergency, go to an Accident and Emergency Department.
Common misunderstandings
‘The Hospital Authority promises that urgent cases see a doctor within two weeks’: not so. Two weeks and eight weeks are the targets the Hospital Authority sets for the median waiting time of urgent and semi-urgent new cases, not a deadline for every patient; when a target is met, at least half of the cases are seen before then.
‘The “longest” waiting time is how long everyone has to wait’: not so. The ‘longest’ is the 90th percentile for stable new cases, meaning nine in ten cases were seen before then; your actual wait is arranged according to your condition.
How much do public specialist outpatient clinics charge?
From 1 January 2026, Eligible Persons pay HK$250 per attendance at Hospital Authority specialist outpatient clinics and HK$20 per prescribed drug item (charged in units of 4 weeks), with some laboratory tests and non-emergency radiology examinations charged separately; Non-eligible Persons pay HK$850 per attendance at specialist outpatient clinics.
People in financial difficulty can apply for a medical fee waiver; the Hospital Authority also has an annual fee cap of HK$10,000, which requires an application and has no means test.
For the ENT consultation fees published by the private hospitals and medical centres checked by this site, see private ENT fees compared.
Frequently asked questions
What is the longest wait for a public Ear, Nose and Throat specialist?
The Hospital Authority's ‘longest’ waiting time is the 90th percentile for stable new cases, which from October 2025 to September 2026 was 52 to 84 weeks by cluster (about 12 to 19 months); nine in ten stable new cases were seen before this point, and it does not mean you will necessarily wait this long.
Can I book in a cluster with a shorter wait?
You can choose to book in another cluster, but healthcare staff might, depending on your condition, advise you to attend a clinic near your home.
How long is a referral letter valid?
To book a new case you must provide a referral letter issued by a locally registered doctor and dated within the past three months.
What should I do if my condition gets worse while I wait?
If your condition gets worse while you wait, you can contact the clinic to ask for an earlier appointment; in an emergency, go to an Accident and Emergency Department.