NHS diagnostic test waits in England: August 2026 explained
Published 2 November 2026 · Figures from NHS England, August 2026 (published 2026-10-08)
The latest official figures for England show how long people were waiting for four common diagnostic tests at the end of August 2026. The four tests are MRI scans, CT scans, non-obstetric ultrasound and endoscopy. This article explains what the measures mean and how the figures compare with February 2026.
What the measures mean
The figures are a snapshot of people still waiting for a test at the end of the month. They do not count people who have already had their test. Three measures are used:
- Number waiting: the total number of people on the waiting list.
- Share waiting under 6 weeks: the percentage of people on the list who had been waiting less than 6 weeks so far.
- Waiting 13 weeks or more: the number of people with much longer waits.
The NHS diagnostics standard is that fewer than 1% of patients wait 6 weeks or more. None of the four tests below met that standard at the end of August 2026.
What changed
For all four tests, the share of people waiting under 6 weeks was lower at the end of August 2026 than in February 2026. The February figures cover only this share, so the size of the waiting lists cannot be compared.
- MRI scans: 357,356 people were waiting. Of these, 78.0% had been waiting under 6 weeks, down from 80.0% in February 2026. 16,345 people were waiting 13 weeks or more.
- CT scans: 181,619 people were waiting. Of these, 88.8% had been waiting under 6 weeks, down from 90.6% in February 2026. 4,683 people were waiting 13 weeks or more.
- Non-obstetric ultrasound (ultrasound scans not related to pregnancy): 648,630 people were waiting, the largest list of the four tests. Of these, 78.3% had been waiting under 6 weeks, down from 83.6% in February 2026. 30,620 people were waiting 13 weeks or more.
- Endoscopy: 197,640 people were waiting. Of these, 69.6% had been waiting under 6 weeks, the lowest share of the four tests, down from 72.1% in February 2026. 26,159 people were waiting 13 weeks or more.
Variation between hospitals for MRI
The share of people waiting under 6 weeks for an MRI scan varied widely between hospital trusts. The highest shares were at Homerton Healthcare (100.0% of 1,322 waiting), Kingston and Richmond (100.0% of 623) and Great Western Hospitals (100.0% of 1,330).
The lowest shares were at James Paget University Hospitals (43.6% of 3,371), Portsmouth Hospitals University (41.0% of 2,737) and Royal Papworth Hospital (25.3% of 1,047).
These figures describe waiting lists at one point in time. They are not a measure of the quality of care. Trusts differ in size, in the patients they serve and in the types of scan they provide.
If you are waiting for a test, the hospital or GP practice that referred you can give you information about your own situation.
Explore the data
This article summarises published statistics. It is not medical advice: contact your GP, NHS 111 or, in an emergency, 999.