How long is the NHS wait for an MRI scan?

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

Can I choose which hospital does my MRI scan?

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 MRI scan?

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 MRI scan waiting times

Also called: MRI, magnetic resonance imaging.

An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan uses a strong magnet and radio waves — no X-rays — to make detailed pictures of soft tissue such as the brain, spine, joints and internal organs. MRI is used to look into persistent joint or back problems, neurological symptoms, and many other conditions where soft-tissue detail matters. It is one of the most-requested NHS scans. 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 and independent providers reporting MRI to NHS England are ranked by median wait, shortest first.

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

Typical hospital wait

2 weeks

median across 238 NHS trusts and independent providers

Fastest hospital

under 1 week

shortest published median

Hospitals compared

238

135 NHS trusts and 103 independent providers reporting MRI

If this is urgent: If your MRI has been requested to investigate a possible cancer, that should follow the NHS two-week-wait pathway, which is faster than a routine diagnostic list — ask your GP or team which route you are on.

Find your wait

Compare MRI scan waits near you

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

MRI scan 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.

#	Hospital or provider	Median wait	Within 6 weeks
1	The Living Care GroupLeeds	under 1 week	100%
2	Shirley Oaks HospitalCroydon	under 1 week	100%
3	Bath ClinicBath	under 1 week	100%
4	Nuffield Health, Brentwood HospitalBrentwood	under 1 week	100%
5	Circle Reading HospitalReading	under 1 week	100%
6	Chelsfield Park HospitalOrpington	under 1 week	100%
7	Lincoln Private HospitalLincoln	under 1 week	100%
8	Woodlands HospitalDarlington	under 1 week	100%
9	Blackheath HospitalLondon	under 1 week	100%
10	Park HospitalNottingham	under 1 week	100%
11	Priory HospitalBirmingham	under 1 week	100%
12	Beaumont HospitalBolton	under 1 week	100%
13	London Independent HospitalLondon	under 1 week	99%
14	Clementine Churchill HospitalHarrow	under 1 week	98%
15	Winfield HospitalGloucester	under 1 week	93%
16	Nuffield Health, Leicester HospitalLeicester	under 1 week	93%
17	Cora Health Diagnostics (Formerly Healthshare Diagnostics)West Malling	under 1 week	91%
18	Gateshead Health NHS Foundation TrustGateshead	about 1 week	100%
19	Isle of Wight NHS TrustNewport	about 1 week	100%
20	Fairfield Independent HospitalSt. Helens	about 1 week	100%
21	Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation TrustKingston upon Thames	about 1 week	100%
22	Nuffield Health, Newcastle upon Tyne HospitalNewcastle upon Tyne	about 1 week	100%
23	MedeferLondon	about 1 week	100%
24	Dartford and Gravesham NHS TrustDartford	about 1 week	100%
25	The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation TrustBirmingham	about 1 week	100%
26	Nuffield Health, Wolverhampton HospitalWolverhampton	about 1 week	100%
27	Spire Elland HospitalElland	about 1 week	100%
28	Bishops Wood HospitalNorthwood	about 1 week	100%
29	Spire Regency HospitalMacclesfield	about 1 week	100%
30	Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation TrustAshton-under-Lyne	about 1 week	100%
31	Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustSwindon	about 1 week	100%
32	KIMS Hospital (Newnham Court)Maidstone	about 1 week	100%
33	Chaucer HospitalCanterbury	about 1 week	100%
34	Cavell HospitalEnfield	about 1 week	100%
35	Meriden HospitalCoventry	about 1 week	100%
36	Spire Leeds HospitalLeeds	about 1 week	100%
37	Highfield HospitalRochdale	about 1 week	100%
38	Tyneside Surgical Services LtdGateshead	about 1 week	100%
39	Nuffield Health, Bristol Hospital (Chesterfield)Bristol	about 1 week	100%
40	Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS TrustStanmore	about 1 week	100%
41	Royal Surrey NHS Foundation TrustGuildford	about 1 week	100%
42	InHealth LimitedBeaconsfield	about 1 week	100%
43	Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation TrustEast Grinstead	about 1 week	100%
44	The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation TrustLondon	about 1 week	100%
45	Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustBradford	about 1 week	100%
46	Stockport NHS Foundation TrustStockport	about 1 week	99%
47	North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation TrustWarrington	about 1 week	99%
48	The Christie NHS Foundation TrustManchester	about 1 week	99%
49	Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustChertsey	about 1 week	99%
50	Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS TrustMaidstone	about 1 week	99%
51	The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust	about 1 week	99%
52	Beardwood HospitalBlackburn	about 1 week	99%
53	Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation TrustWirral	about 1 week	98%
54	Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation TrustDorchester	about 1 week	97%
55	Lewisham and Greenwich NHS TrustLondon	about 1 week	97%
56	Droitwich Spa HospitalDroitwich	about 1 week	97%
57	Spire Bushey HospitalBushey	about 1 week	97%
58	Spire Alexandra HospitalChatham	about 1 week	96%
59	Airedale NHS Foundation TrustKeighley	about 1 week	96%
60	Thornbury HospitalSheffield	about 1 week	95%
61	Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation TrustBath	about 1 week	95%
62	East Sussex Healthcare NHS TrustSt. Leonards-on-Sea	about 1 week	94%
63	Nuffield Health, York HospitalYork	about 1 week	94%
64	North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation TrustCarlisle	about 1 week	93%
65	Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation TrustMilton Keynes	about 1 week	93%
66	Beacon Medical Services Group LimitedManchester	about 1 week	92%
67	Clifton Park HospitalYork	about 1 week	91%
68	Practice Plus Group Hospital - PlymouthPlymouth	about 1 week	90%
69	Rowley Hall HospitalStafford	about 1 week	89%
70	Spire St Anthony's HospitalSutton	about 1 week	88%
71	Spire Gatwick Park HospitalHorley	about 1 week	87%
72	Frimley Health NHS Foundation TrustCamberley	about 1 week	84%
73	Spire Little Aston HospitalSutton Coldfield	about 1 week	81%
74	Spire Fylde Coast HospitalBlackpool	about 1 week	81%
75	Tees Valley HospitalMiddlesbrough	about 1 week	79%
76	King's College Hospital NHS Foundation TrustLondon	about 1 week	76%
77	The Berkshire Independent HospitalReading	2 weeks	100%
78	East Lancashire Hospitals NHS TrustBlackburn	2 weeks	100%
79	Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust	2 weeks	100%
80	Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - St Marys PortsmouthPortsmouth	2 weeks	100%
81	Spire Montefiore HospitalHove	2 weeks	100%
82	Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustLondon	2 weeks	100%
83	Kings Oak HospitalEnfield	2 weeks	100%
84	Sulis Hospital Bath (Foxcote Avenue)Bath	2 weeks	100%
85	Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation TrustBarnsley	2 weeks	100%
86	The Walton Centre NHS Foundation TrustLiverpool	2 weeks	99%
87	Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustNorth Shields	2 weeks	99%
88	Croydon Health Services NHS TrustThornton Heath	2 weeks	99%
89	Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustSouthampton	2 weeks	99%
90	The Royal Wolverhampton NHS TrustWolverhampton	2 weeks	99%
91	Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS TrustCarshalton	2 weeks	99%
92	St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustLondon	2 weeks	99%
93	Bolton NHS Foundation TrustBolton	2 weeks	99%
94	Medway NHS Foundation TrustGillingham	2 weeks	99%
95	Oaklands HospitalSalford	2 weeks	98%
96	University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation TrustPoole	2 weeks	98%
97	Whittington Health NHS TrustLondon	2 weeks	97%
98	Spire Liverpool HospitalLiverpool	2 weeks	97%
99	Woodland HospitalKettering	2 weeks	97%
100	Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustWigan	2 weeks	97%
101	Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustPreston	2 weeks	96%
102	North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation TrustHartlepool	2 weeks	96%
103	West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustWatford	2 weeks	96%
104	The Dudley Group NHS Foundation TrustDudley	2 weeks	96%
105	The Rotherham NHS Foundation TrustRotherham	2 weeks	96%
106	Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustSutton-in-Ashfield	2 weeks	95%
107	Three Shires HospitalNorthampton	2 weeks	95%
108	Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS TrustTruro	2 weeks	95%
109	Sussex Community NHS Foundation TrustBrighton	2 weeks	94%
110	Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation TrustLondon	2 weeks	94%
111	West Suffolk NHS Foundation TrustBury St. Edmunds	2 weeks	93%
112	University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS TrustCoventry	2 weeks	93%
113	University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation TrustWorthing	2 weeks	93%
114	Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation TrustHuddersfield	2 weeks	92%
115	Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustCrewe	2 weeks	92%
116	Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation TrustChester	2 weeks	92%
117	York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustYork	2 weeks	92%
118	George Eliot Hospital NHS TrustNuneaton	2 weeks	92%
119	Bristol NHS Foundation TrustBristol	2 weeks	92%
120	University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation TrustKendal	2 weeks	92%
121	Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustBasingstoke	2 weeks	91%
122	Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustLeeds	2 weeks	91%
123	Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation TrustSalford	2 weeks	91%
124	Glendon Wood HospitalKettering	2 weeks	91%
125	Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustLiverpool	2 weeks	91%
126	Fitzwilliam HospitalPeterborough	2 weeks	91%
127	Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation TrustPreston	2 weeks	91%
128	Pinehill HospitalHitchin	2 weeks	90%
129	University Hospitals of Leicester NHS TrustLeicester	2 weeks	90%
130	Stourside HospitalStourbridge	2 weeks	90%
131	Ashtead HospitalAshtead	2 weeks	90%
132	Boston West HospitalBoston	2 weeks	89%
133	Spire London EastIlford	2 weeks	89%
134	Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation TrustReading	2 weeks	89%
135	The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS TrustHarlow	2 weeks	89%
136	Renacres HospitalOrmskirk	2 weeks	89%
137	North Downs HospitalCaterham	2 weeks	88%
138	Spire Clare Park HospitalFarnham	2 weeks	88%
139	Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustOxford	2 weeks	88%
140	London North West University Healthcare NHS TrustHarrow	2 weeks	88%
141	Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustNorwich	2 weeks	88%
142	Practice Plus Group Hospital - BarlboroughChesterfield	2 weeks	87%
143	University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation TrustSouthampton	2 weeks	86%
144	Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustPrescot	2 weeks	86%
145	The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustUxbridge	2 weeks	86%
146	Somerset NHS Foundation TrustTaunton	2 weeks	86%
147	South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustMiddlesbrough	2 weeks	86%
148	Royal Free London NHS Foundation TrustLondon	2 weeks	84%
149	Nuffield Health, Derby HospitalDerby	2 weeks	84%
150	Woodthorpe HospitalNottingham	2 weeks	84%
151	Spire Washington HospitalWashington	2 weeks	83%
152	The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS TrustShrewsbury	2 weeks	82%
153	Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation TrustTorquay	2 weeks	82%
154	Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation TrustBirmingham	2 weeks	81%
155	University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation TrustBirmingham	2 weeks	80%
156	Spire Hull and East Riding HospitalHull	2 weeks	80%
157	Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustSheffield	2 weeks	79%
158	Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS TrustAmersham	2 weeks	78%
159	South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation TrustSunderland	2 weeks	78%
160	Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustBlackpool	2 weeks	77%
161	Salisbury NHS Foundation TrustSalisbury	2 weeks	76%
162	Spire Wellesley HospitalSouthend-on-Sea	2 weeks	76%
163	Harrogate and District NHS Foundation TrustHarrogate	2 weeks	75%
164	Bespoke Healthcare LtdPreston	2 weeks	73%
165	Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS TrustWorcester	2 weeks	73%
166	New Hall HospitalSalisbury	2 weeks	72%
167	Spire Nottingham HospitalNottingham	2 weeks	67%
168	Mount Stuart HospitalTorquay	2 weeks	59%
169	Spire Methley Park HospitalLeeds	2 weeks	50%
170	Manchester Surgical Services LtdManchester	3 weeks	100%
171	Practice Plus Group Hospital BirminghamBirmingham	3 weeks	100%
172	Practice Plus Group Hospital - SouthamptonSouthampton	3 weeks	89%
173	Practice Plus Group Hospital - Shepton MalletShepton Mallet	3 weeks	88%
174	Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS TrustWakefield	3 weeks	87%
175	County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation TrustDarlington	3 weeks	87%
176	Manchester University NHS Foundation TrustManchester	3 weeks	87%
177	West Midlands HospitalHalesowen	3 weeks	86%
178	Nuffield Health, Tees HospitalStockton-on-Tees	3 weeks	85%
179	Wye Valley NHS TrustHereford	3 weeks	85%
180	Spire Harpenden HospitalHarpenden	3 weeks	85%
181	Spire Bristol HospitalBristol	3 weeks	84%
182	Fulwood Hall HospitalPreston	3 weeks	84%
183	The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation TrustKing's Lynn	3 weeks	83%
184	Imperial College Healthcare NHS TrustLondon	3 weeks	82%
185	Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation TrustLondon	3 weeks	82%
186	Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation TrustSheffield	3 weeks	81%
187	Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustCheltenham	3 weeks	81%
188	South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation TrustWarwick	3 weeks	81%
189	Springfield HospitalChelmsford	3 weeks	81%
190	The Yorkshire ClinicBingley	3 weeks	80%
191	The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation TrustOswestry	3 weeks	80%
192	Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation TrustLiverpool	3 weeks	77%
193	Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation TrustLondon	3 weeks	77%
194	Euxton Hall HospitalChorley	3 weeks	76%
195	The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustNewcastle upon Tyne	3 weeks	76%
196	East Cheshire NHS TrustMacclesfield	3 weeks	74%
197	Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS TrustRedhill	3 weeks	74%
198	Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation TrustKettering	3 weeks	74%
199	University Hospitals Plymouth NHS TrustPlymouth	3 weeks	73%
200	The Horder Centre - St Johns RoadCrowborough	3 weeks	73%
201	East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS TrustStevenage	3 weeks	73%
202	Spire Parkway HospitalSolihull	3 weeks	73%
203	University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustLondon	3 weeks	72%
204	Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustHull	3 weeks	70%
205	Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustCambridge	3 weeks	69%
206	Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation TrustGrimsby	3 weeks	69%
207	Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation TrustWestcliff-on-Sea	3 weeks	69%
208	East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation TrustColchester	3 weeks	68%
209	Walsall Healthcare NHS TrustWalsall	3 weeks	67%
210	Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustLuton	3 weeks	67%
211	Barts Health NHS TrustLondon	3 weeks	65%
212	Rivers HospitalSawbridgeworth	4 weeks	73%
213	The Hamptons Hospital LtdPeterborough	4 weeks	73%
214	Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation TrustLondon	4 weeks	68%
215	Blakelands HospitalMilton Keynes	4 weeks	67%
216	Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation TrustChesterfield	4 weeks	67%
217	Buckshaw HospitalChorley	4 weeks	65%
218	North West Anglia NHS Foundation TrustPeterborough	4 weeks	65%
219	The Cherwell HospitalBanbury	4 weeks	64%
220	Omnes Healthcare LtdSalford	4 weeks	64%
221	Northampton General Hospital NHS TrustNorthampton	4 weeks	63%
222	University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS TrustStoke-on-Trent	4 weeks	59%
223	Nottingham University Hospitals NHS TrustNottingham	4 weeks	58%
224	Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS TrustRomford	4 weeks	58%
225	Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustExeter	4 weeks	58%
226	Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre - DevizesDevizes	5 weeks	65%
227	Oaks HospitalColchester	5 weeks	62%
228	Practice Plus Group Hospital - Emersons GreenBristol	5 weeks	61%
229	Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS TrustSmethwick	5 weeks	52%
230	East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation TrustCanterbury	5 weeks	52%
231	Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustDoncaster	6 weeks	50%
232	United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustLincoln	6 weeks	50%
233	University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation TrustDerby	6 weeks	47%
234	James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustGreat Yarmouth	7 weeks	44%
235	Park Hill HospitalDoncaster	7 weeks	41%
236	Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS TrustPortsmouth	8 weeks	41%
237	Spire Leicester HospitalLeicester	13 weeks	42%
238	Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation TrustCambridge	13 weeks	25%

Can I choose where I have my MRI?

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.

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 August 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.

NHS England DM01 source data

Frequently asked questions

How long is the NHS wait for an MRI scan?: There is no single national wait — it depends on which hospital you are sent to. MRI waits vary between hospitals, sometimes several-fold, so the useful thing is to compare your own area. The table above ranks the NHS trusts and independent providers reporting MRI to NHS England, shortest median wait first, from NHS England's DM01 diagnostic figures.
Can I choose which hospital does my MRI scan?: 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 MRI scan?: 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 MRI scan wait different if it is urgent or to check for cancer?: If your MRI has been requested to investigate a possible cancer, that should follow the NHS two-week-wait pathway, which is faster than a routine diagnostic list — ask your GP or team which route you are on.

Compare other NHS scans and tests

All NHS diagnostic waiting times

See also our guide to NHS neurology waiting times.