How long is the NHS wait for Colonoscopy?

There is no single national wait — it depends on which hospital you are sent to. Colonoscopy waits vary between NHS trusts, sometimes several-fold, so the useful thing is to compare your own area. The table above ranks every English NHS trust that reports Colonoscopy, shortest median wait first, from NHS England's DM01 diagnostic figures.

Can I choose which hospital does my Colonoscopy?

For a planned, non-urgent test, often yes. In England you have a legal right, when your GP refers you, to ask to be seen at a hospital with a shorter wait — the NHS Right to Choose. 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 Colonoscopy?

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.

Diagnostics

NHS Colonoscopy waiting times

A colonoscopy is a test where a thin flexible camera is passed through the back passage to look at the whole lining of the large bowel (colon). Small samples or polyps can be taken at the same time. It is used to investigate changes in bowel habit, bleeding, iron-deficiency anaemia, and to follow up an abnormal bowel-screening (FIT) result. There is no single national wait: it depends heavily on which hospital you are sent to, and the spread between trusts is large. Below, every English NHS trust that reports Colonoscopy is ranked by its median wait, shortest first.

Compiled by Dr Mustafa Ghafouri (MBChB, MSc) · NHS England DM01 data, March 2026

Typical trust wait

2 weeks

median across 184 trusts

Fastest trust

under 1 week

shortest published median

Hospitals compared

184

English NHS trusts reporting Colonoscopy

If this is urgent: If your colonoscopy follows an abnormal bowel-cancer screening result or a two-week-wait referral, that is a separate, faster pathway to the routine list shown here — ask your team which one you are on.

Find your wait

Compare Colonoscopy waits near you

Enter your postcode to see the hospitals near you ranked by wait and distance. Free, independent, from NHS figures.

Colonoscopy waits by hospital, shortest first

Median wait and the percentage of patients seen within 6 weeks — the NHS operational standard for diagnostics. Trusts with very few patients are excluded so a median is meaningful.

#	Hospital trust	Median wait	Within 6 weeks
1	CORA HEALTH DIAGNOSTICS (FORMERLY HEALTHSHARE DIAGNOSTICS)WEST MALLING	under 1 week	100%
2	SHIRLEY OAKS HOSPITALCROYDON	under 1 week	100%
3	OAKLANDS HOSPITALSALFORD	under 1 week	100%
4	CIRCLE READING HOSPITALREADING	under 1 week	100%
5	THE LIVING CARE GROUPLEEDS	under 1 week	100%
6	PARK HOSPITALNOTTINGHAM	under 1 week	100%
7	BLACKHEATH HOSPITALLONDON	under 1 week	100%
8	HENDON HOSPITALLONDON	under 1 week	100%
9	KINGS OAK HOSPITALENFIELD	under 1 week	100%
10	EAST SUSSEX HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTST. LEONARDS-ON-SEA	under 1 week	100%
11	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE NHS TRUSTCOVENTRY	under 1 week	99%
12	DONCASTER AND BASSETLAW TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDONCASTER	under 1 week	99%
13	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF NORTH MIDLANDS NHS TRUSTSTOKE-ON-TRENT	under 1 week	99%
14	SOUTH TYNESIDE AND SUNDERLAND NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSUNDERLAND	under 1 week	98%
15	NORTHUMBRIA HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTNORTH SHIELDS	under 1 week	97%
16	SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWARWICK	about 1 week	100%
17	ROYAL SURREY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTGUILDFORD	about 1 week	100%
18	ENDOCARE DIAGNOSTICS LTDMANCHESTER	about 1 week	100%
19	HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSOUTHAMPTON	about 1 week	100%
20	BEAUMONT HOSPITALBOLTON	about 1 week	100%
21	MID YORKSHIRE TEACHING NHS TRUSTWAKEFIELD	about 1 week	100%
22	TYNESIDE SURGICAL SERVICES LTDGATESHEAD	about 1 week	100%
23	ALEXANDRA HOSPITALCHEADLE	about 1 week	100%
24	PRACTICE PLUS GROUP HOSPITAL - ILFORDILFORD	about 1 week	100%
25	THE CHRISTIE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTMANCHESTER	about 1 week	100%
26	CALDERDALE AND HUDDERSFIELD NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTHUDDERSFIELD	about 1 week	100%
27	NORTH TEES AND HARTLEPOOL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTHARTLEPOOL	about 1 week	100%
28	UNITED LINCOLNSHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTLINCOLN	about 1 week	99%
29	TAMESIDE AND GLOSSOP INTEGRATED CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTASHTON-UNDER-LYNE	about 1 week	99%
30	MEDWAY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTGILLINGHAM	about 1 week	99%
31	WHITTINGTON HEALTH NHS TRUSTLONDON	about 1 week	99%
32	EAST LANCASHIRE HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTBLACKBURN	about 1 week	99%
33	THE SHREWSBURY AND TELFORD HOSPITAL NHS TRUSTSHREWSBURY	about 1 week	99%
34	DARTFORD AND GRAVESHAM NHS TRUSTDARTFORD	about 1 week	98%
35	NORTH BRISTOL NHS TRUSTBRISTOL	about 1 week	98%
36	GATESHEAD HEALTH NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTGATESHEAD	about 1 week	98%
37	UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	about 1 week	97%
38	PRACTICE PLUS GROUP HOSPITAL - PLYMOUTHPLYMOUTH	about 1 week	97%
39	WORCESTERSHIRE ACUTE HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTWORCESTER	about 1 week	97%
40	LONDON INDEPENDENT HOSPITALLONDON	about 1 week	96%
41	THE ROTHERHAM NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTROTHERHAM	about 1 week	95%
42	MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTMANCHESTER	about 1 week	95%
43	HARROGATE AND DISTRICT NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTHARROGATE	about 1 week	94%
44	SOUTH TEES HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTMIDDLESBROUGH	about 1 week	94%
45	SAXON CLINICMILTON KEYNES	about 1 week	93%
46	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF MORECAMBE BAY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTKENDAL	about 1 week	93%
47	LONDON NORTH WEST UNIVERSITY HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTHARROW	about 1 week	93%
48	EPSOMEDICAL GROUPCOBHAM	about 1 week	92%
49	THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL, KING'S LYNN, NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTKING'S LYNN	about 1 week	91%
50	INHEALTH LIMITEDBEACONSFIELD	about 1 week	91%
51	YORK AND SCARBOROUGH TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTYORK	about 1 week	91%
52	BRADFORD TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBRADFORD	about 1 week	90%
53	CHELSEA AND WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	about 1 week	90%
54	ROYAL BERKSHIRE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTREADING	about 1 week	90%
55	CHESTERFIELD ROYAL HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCHESTERFIELD	about 1 week	88%
56	LEEDS TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTLEEDS	about 1 week	85%
57	BUCKSHAW HOSPITALCHORLEY	about 1 week	83%
58	SPIRE ST ANTHONY'S HOSPITALSUTTON	about 1 week	82%
59	CHELSFIELD PARK HOSPITALORPINGTON	about 1 week	64%
60	PRACTICE PLUS GROUP HOSPITAL - EMERSONS GREENBRISTOL	2 weeks	100%
61	MERIDEN HOSPITALCOVENTRY	2 weeks	100%
62	PRACTICE PLUS GROUP SURGICAL CENTRE - ST MARYS PORTSMOUTHPORTSMOUTH	2 weeks	100%
63	THE GRANGE MEDICAL CENTRE HQPONTEFRACT	2 weeks	100%
64	BARNSLEY HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBARNSLEY	2 weeks	99%
65	CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCAMBRIDGE	2 weeks	99%
66	BOLTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBOLTON	2 weeks	99%
67	IMPERIAL COLLEGE HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTLONDON	2 weeks	99%
68	BLACKPOOL TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBLACKPOOL	2 weeks	97%
69	GUY'S AND ST THOMAS' NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	2 weeks	96%
70	MEDEFERLONDON	2 weeks	94%
71	SURREY AND SUSSEX HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTREDHILL	2 weeks	94%
72	GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	2 weeks	94%
73	NORTH CHESHIRE AND MERSEY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWARRINGTON	2 weeks	94%
74	WALSALL HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTWALSALL	2 weeks	94%
75	MILTON KEYNES UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTMILTON KEYNES	2 weeks	94%
76	THE ROYAL MARSDEN NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	2 weeks	94%
77	THE ROYAL WOLVERHAMPTON NHS TRUSTWOLVERHAMPTON	2 weeks	93%
78	THE BERKSHIRE INDEPENDENT HOSPITALREADING	2 weeks	92%
79	SPIRE LIVERPOOL HOSPITALLIVERPOOL	2 weeks	92%
80	BRISTOL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBRISTOL	2 weeks	91%
81	GLENDON WOOD HOSPITALKETTERING	2 weeks	90%
82	WEST HERTFORDSHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTWATFORD	2 weeks	89%
83	HOMERTON HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	2 weeks	89%
84	MAIDSTONE AND TUNBRIDGE WELLS NHS TRUSTMAIDSTONE	2 weeks	89%
85	KETTERING GENERAL HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTKETTERING	2 weeks	88%
86	THREE SHIRES HOSPITALNORTHAMPTON	2 weeks	88%
87	WIRRAL UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWIRRAL	2 weeks	88%
88	WRIGHTINGTON, WIGAN AND LEIGH TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWIGAN	2 weeks	87%
89	PHOENIX HEALTH SOLUTIONS LIMITED HQPONTEFRACT	2 weeks	87%
90	FRIMLEY HEALTH NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCAMBERLEY	2 weeks	86%
91	COUNTY DURHAM AND DARLINGTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDARLINGTON	2 weeks	86%
92	STOCKPORT NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSTOCKPORT	2 weeks	86%
93	COUNTESS OF CHESTER HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCHESTER	2 weeks	86%
94	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS PLYMOUTH NHS TRUSTPLYMOUTH	2 weeks	85%
95	TORBAY AND SOUTH DEVON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTTORQUAY	2 weeks	85%
96	CROYDON HEALTH SERVICES NHS TRUSTTHORNTON HEATH	2 weeks	85%
97	MERSEY AND WEST LANCASHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTPRESCOT	2 weeks	85%
98	EAST SUFFOLK AND NORTH ESSEX NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCOLCHESTER	2 weeks	85%
99	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS DORSET NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTPOOLE	2 weeks	84%
100	KING'S COLLEGE HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	2 weeks	83%
101	SALISBURY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSALISBURY	2 weeks	83%
102	MID CHESHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCREWE	2 weeks	82%
103	GEORGE ELIOT HOSPITAL NHS TRUSTNUNEATON	2 weeks	81%
104	EAST KENT HOSPITALS UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCANTERBURY	2 weeks	81%
105	NORFOLK AND NORWICH UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTNORWICH	2 weeks	80%
106	PINEHILL HOSPITALHITCHIN	2 weeks	79%
107	SPIRE METHLEY PARK HOSPITALLEEDS	2 weeks	79%
108	PRACTICE PLUS GROUP SURGICAL CENTRE - GILLINGHAMGILLINGHAM	2 weeks	77%
109	ROYAL DEVON UNIVERSITY HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTEXETER	2 weeks	75%
110	UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SOUTHAMPTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSOUTHAMPTON	2 weeks	74%
111	ROYAL FREE LONDON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	2 weeks	73%
112	COBALT HOSPITALNEWCASTLE UPON TYNE	2 weeks	73%
113	THE NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTNEWCASTLE UPON TYNE	2 weeks	71%
114	HULL UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTHULL	2 weeks	71%
115	LANCASHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTPRESTON	2 weeks	67%
116	DUCHY HOSPITALTRURO	2 weeks	56%
117	HUDDERSFIELD PRIVATE HOSPITALHUDDERSFIELD	3 weeks	100%
118	THE HAMPTONS HOSPITAL LTDPETERBOROUGH	3 weeks	96%
119	PRACTICE PLUS GROUP SURGICAL CENTRE - DEVIZESDEVIZES	3 weeks	96%
120	PRACTICE PLUS GROUP HOSPITAL - SHEPTON MALLETSHEPTON MALLET	3 weeks	91%
121	COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EYECARE LIMITEDPRESTON	3 weeks	90%
122	THE DUDLEY GROUP NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDUDLEY	3 weeks	89%
123	ROYAL CORNWALL HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTTRURO	3 weeks	85%
124	TEES VALLEY HOSPITALMIDDLESBROUGH	3 weeks	83%
125	GREAT WESTERN HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSWINDON	3 weeks	83%
126	SHERWOOD FOREST HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSUTTON-IN-ASHFIELD	3 weeks	77%
127	LEWISHAM AND GREENWICH NHS TRUSTLONDON	3 weeks	75%
128	RIVERS HOSPITALSAWBRIDGEWORTH	3 weeks	74%
129	ST GEORGE'S UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLONDON	3 weeks	73%
130	SHEFFIELD CHILDREN'S NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSHEFFIELD	3 weeks	71%
131	EPSOM AND ST HELIER UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTCARSHALTON	3 weeks	71%
132	STOURSIDE HOSPITALSTOURBRIDGE	3 weeks	71%
133	JAMES PAGET UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTGREAT YARMOUTH	3 weeks	70%
134	THE YORKSHIRE CLINICBINGLEY	3 weeks	68%
135	SPRINGFIELD HOSPITALCHELMSFORD	3 weeks	68%
136	LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLIVERPOOL	3 weeks	66%
137	BARTS HEALTH NHS TRUSTLONDON	3 weeks	66%
138	NORTH WEST ANGLIA NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTPETERBOROUGH	3 weeks	65%
139	NORTH CUMBRIA INTEGRATED CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCARLISLE	3 weeks	61%
140	BEACON PARK HOSPITALSTAFFORD	4 weeks	91%
141	EUXTON HALL HOSPITALCHORLEY	4 weeks	83%
142	AIREDALE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTKEIGHLEY	4 weeks	81%
143	WOODLANDS HOSPITALDARLINGTON	4 weeks	75%
144	WINFIELD HOSPITALGLOUCESTER	4 weeks	70%
145	PRACTICE PLUS GROUP HOSPITAL - SOUTHAMPTONSOUTHAMPTON	4 weeks	70%
146	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF DERBY AND BURTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDERBY	4 weeks	67%
147	EAST AND NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE TEACHING NHS TRUSTSTEVENAGE	4 weeks	66%
148	SANDWELL AND WEST BIRMINGHAM HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTSMETHWICK	4 weeks	65%
149	NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS TRUSTNOTTINGHAM	4 weeks	65%
150	BIRMINGHAM WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBIRMINGHAM	4 weeks	64%
151	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF LEICESTER NHS TRUSTLEICESTER	4 weeks	63%
152	ASHFORD AND ST PETER'S HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCHERTSEY	4 weeks	59%
153	NORTHERN CARE ALLIANCE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSALFORD	4 weeks	59%
154	THE HILLINGDON HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTUXBRIDGE	4 weeks	58%
155	DORSET COUNTY HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTDORCHESTER	4 weeks	57%
156	WYE VALLEY NHS TRUSTHEREFORD	4 weeks	57%
157	KINGSTON AND RICHMOND NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTKINGSTON UPON THAMES	4 weeks	56%
158	WEST SUFFOLK NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBURY ST. EDMUNDS	4 weeks	56%
159	SOMERSET NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTTAUNTON	4 weeks	55%
160	ISLE OF WIGHT NHS TRUSTNEWPORT	4 weeks	55%
161	EAST CHESHIRE NHS TRUSTMACCLESFIELD	5 weeks	54%
162	GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTCHELTENHAM	5 weeks	53%
163	BOSTON WEST HOSPITALBOSTON	5 weeks	53%
164	BEDFORDSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTLUTON	5 weeks	52%
165	ASHTEAD HOSPITALASHTEAD	5 weeks	52%
166	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS SUSSEX NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWORTHING	5 weeks	51%
167	NORTH DOWNS HOSPITALCATERHAM	5 weeks	50%
168	NORTHERN LINCOLNSHIRE AND GOOLE NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTGRIMSBY	6 weeks	50%
169	SHEFFIELD TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTSHEFFIELD	6 weeks	50%
170	ROYAL UNITED HOSPITALS BATH NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBATH	6 weeks	49%
171	MID AND SOUTH ESSEX NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTWESTCLIFF-ON-SEA	6 weeks	48%
172	BLAKELANDS HOSPITALMILTON KEYNES	6 weeks	45%
173	SPIRE REGENCY HOSPITALMACCLESFIELD	6 weeks	33%
174	FITZWILLIAM HOSPITALPETERBOROUGH	7 weeks	38%
175	THE PRINCESS ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL NHS TRUSTHARLOW	8 weeks	42%
176	RENACRES HOSPITALORMSKIRK	8 weeks	33%
177	NORTHAMPTON GENERAL HOSPITAL NHS TRUSTNORTHAMPTON	8 weeks	33%
178	OXFORD UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTOXFORD	9 weeks	38%
179	WOODTHORPE HOSPITALNOTTINGHAM	10 weeks	44%
180	UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS BIRMINGHAM NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBIRMINGHAM	11 weeks	37%
181	BEACON MEDICAL SERVICES GROUP LIMITEDMANCHESTER	11 weeks	25%
182	HAMPSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTBASINGSTOKE	13 weeks	28%
183	BUCKINGHAMSHIRE HEALTHCARE NHS TRUSTAMERSHAM	13 weeks	25%
184	PORTSMOUTH HOSPITALS UNIVERSITY NHS TRUSTPORTSMOUTH	13 weeks	19%

Can I choose where I have my Colonoscopy?

For a planned, non-urgent diagnostic test you often can. In England you have a legal right, when your GP refers you, to ask to be seen at a different hospital — including one with a shorter wait. Most people are never told this and go to their nearest by default.

How the NHS Right to Choose works

Where these numbers come from

Waits are from NHS England's monthly Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity (DM01) statistics, for March 2026. Each figure is the trust'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.

NHS England DM01 source data

Frequently asked questions

How long is the NHS wait for Colonoscopy?: There is no single national wait — it depends on which hospital you are sent to. Colonoscopy waits vary between NHS trusts, sometimes several-fold, so the useful thing is to compare your own area. The table above ranks every English NHS trust that reports Colonoscopy, shortest median wait first, from NHS England's DM01 diagnostic figures.
Can I choose which hospital does my Colonoscopy?: For a planned, non-urgent test, often yes. In England you have a legal right, when your GP refers you, to ask to be seen at a hospital with a shorter wait — the NHS Right to Choose. 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 Colonoscopy?: 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.
Is the Colonoscopy wait different if it is urgent or to check for cancer?: If your colonoscopy follows an abnormal bowel-cancer screening result or a two-week-wait referral, that is a separate, faster pathway to the routine list shown here — ask your team which one you are on.

Compare other NHS scans and tests

All NHS diagnostic waiting times

See also our guide to NHS gastroenterology waiting times.