NHS Barium enema waiting times
Also called: contrast bowel X-ray.
A barium enema is an X-ray test of the large bowel using a contrast liquid. It is now used less often, as colonoscopy and CT colonography have largely replaced it. Where still used, it investigates bowel symptoms when a camera test is not suitable. There is no single national wait: it depends heavily on which hospital you are sent to, and the spread between hospitals is large. Below, the NHS trusts reporting Barium enema to NHS England are ranked by median wait, shortest first.
Compiled by Dr Mustafa Ghafouri (MBChB, MSc) · NHS England DM01 data, September 2026
Typical hospital wait
about 1 week
median across 51 NHS trusts
Fastest hospital
under 1 week
shortest published median
Hospitals compared
51
51 NHS trusts reporting Barium enema
Barium enema waits by hospital, shortest first
Median wait and the percentage of patients seen within 6 weeks — the NHS operational standard for diagnostics. Hospitals with very few patients waiting are excluded so a median is meaningful.
Can I choose where I have my Barium enema?
For a planned, non-urgent diagnostic test you can ask. If your GP refers you to a consultant-led service, you have a legal right, with exceptions, to choose the provider — including one with a shorter wait. For a test your GP orders directly, ask your GP whether you can have it at a different hospital. Most people are never told this and go to their nearest by default. If the test leads to a referral, you can also compare NHS waiting times for treatment at hospital trusts in England.
Where these numbers come from
Waits are from NHS England's monthly Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity (DM01) statistics, for September 2026. Each figure is the provider's median wait for that test; “within 6 weeks” is the NHS operational standard. Nothing here is medical advice — the site surfaces the published data so you and your GP can use it.
Frequently asked questions
- How long is the NHS wait for Barium enema?
- There is no single national wait — it depends on which hospital you are sent to. Barium enema waits vary between hospitals, sometimes several-fold, so the useful thing is to compare your own area. The table above ranks the NHS trusts reporting Barium enema to NHS England, shortest median wait first, from NHS England's DM01 diagnostic figures.
- Can I choose which hospital does my Barium enema?
- For a planned, non-urgent test, you can ask. If your GP refers you to a consultant-led service, you have a legal right, with exceptions, to choose the provider, including one with a shorter wait — the NHS Right to Choose. For a test your GP orders directly, ask your GP whether you can have it at a different hospital. Most people are never told this and go to their nearest by default. It does not apply to urgent or emergency tests.
- What does "seen within 6 weeks" mean for Barium enema?
- Six weeks is the NHS operational standard for diagnostic tests — patients should wait no longer than that. The "within 6 weeks" figure for each hospital is the share of its patients who met that standard; the median is the typical wait. Both come from NHS England's monthly DM01 statistics.
Compare other NHS scans and tests
- NHS MRI scan waiting times
- NHS CT scan waiting times
- NHS Ultrasound scan waiting times
- NHS Colonoscopy waiting times
- NHS Gastroscopy waiting times
- NHS Flexible sigmoidoscopy waiting times
- NHS Cystoscopy waiting times
- NHS Echocardiogram waiting times
All NHS diagnostic waiting times
See also our guide to NHS gastroenterology waiting times.