MRI scan – Bolton NOT LIVE
Nearly all (98.6%)
people on the MRI scan waiting list had waited under 6 weeks (792 waiting).
Official monthly figure, end of Aug 2026 · published 8 October 2026 · NHS England
Diagnostics (DM01) data for August 2026, published 8 October 2026 · Page updated 2 November 2026
MRI scan waiting times in Bolton
Short answer: At the end of August 2026, 98.6% of the 792 people waiting for an MRI scan at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, the main trust serving Bolton, had waited under 6 weeks, compared with 90.1% across the North West region and 78.0% in England. 1 person had waited 13 weeks or more. The NHS standard is that fewer than 1% wait 6 weeks or more.
Source: NHS England diagnostics (DM01) statistics, published 8 October 2026. These are past figures, not a forecast of how long you will wait.
How long people are waiting for an MRI scan at the hospital trust serving Bolton, from NHS England’s monthly diagnostics (DM01) statistics for August 2026.
Bolton: local hospitals and referrals
- Nearest hospital run by Bolton: Royal Bolton Hospital (BL4 0JR), about 2 miles from central Bolton.
- Usually referred to: patients in Bolton are usually referred to Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the nearest major hospital. Your GP or referrer can tell you where you would go.
- Nearest community diagnostic centre doing MRI scans: Bolton CDC (BL4 0JR), about 2 miles away. Source: NHS England CDC activity data, Aug 2026.
- Integrated care board: NHS Greater Manchester ICB.
- A nearby alternative: Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, about 8 miles away, where 90.7% of its MRI scan list had waited under 6 weeks at the end of Aug 2026.
What is an MRI scan?
An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan uses strong magnets and radio waves to make detailed pictures of organs, joints, the brain and spine. It does not use X-rays.
MRI scan waiting list at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
98.6%waiting under 6 weeks
792people on the MRI waiting list
11waiting 6 weeks or more
1waiting 13 weeks or more
At the end of August 2026, 792 people were waiting for an MRI scan at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust. 98.6% had been waiting less than 6 weeks, which is 20.6 percentage points above the England figure of 78.0% and 8.5 percentage points above the North West figure of 90.1%. 1 person (0.1%) had waited 13 weeks or more.
How long people on the MRI scan list had waited
Bolton: % waiting under 6 weeks for MRI England
| Month | Waiting under 6 weeks | Waiting list | England under 6 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | 98.6% | 792 | 78.0% |
| July 2026 | 98.0% | 929 | 78.6% |
| June 2026 | 97.9% | 912 | 77.7% |
| May 2026 | 97.9% | 778 | 76.9% |
| April 2026 | 98.1% | 841 | 75.5% |
| March 2026 | 98.6% | 870 | 78.4% |
| February 2026 | 98.5% | 870 | 80.0% |
How Bolton compares
| Area | Under 6 weeks | Waiting list | 13+ weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bolton NHS Foundation Trust | 98.6% | 792 | 1 |
| North West region | 90.1% | 43,852 | 543 |
| England | 78.0% | 357,356 | 16,345 |
Compare all trusts across England on the compare page.
Nearby hospital trusts for MRI scans
Trusts serving towns within about 60 miles, ordered by the share of their list waiting under 6 weeks. In England you can usually ask your GP which hospitals you could be referred to; waiting lists change from month to month.
| Trust | Distance (town) | Under 6 weeks | Waiting list | 13+ weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | about 12 miles | 100.0% | 2,134 | 0 |
| Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 32 miles | 99.5% | 665 | 2 |
| Stockport NHS Foundation Trust | about 16 miles | 99.4% | 788 | 0 |
| Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | about 30 miles | 98.1% | 1,105 | 2 |
| Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 17 miles | 96.4% | 1,326 | 0 |
| Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust | about 8 miles | 90.7% | 7,627 | 8 |
| Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 25 miles | 90.5% | 2,319 | 0 |
| Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust | about 39 miles | 87.4% | 2,034 | 80 |
| Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | about 10 miles | 86.8% | 7,589 | 153 |
| Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | about 16 miles | 86.2% | 2,904 | 27 |
MRI scan waits in nearby towns
| Nearby town | Distance | Main trust or board | MRI under 6 weeks | Waiting list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salford | 8 miles | Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust | 90.7% | 7,627 |
| Manchester | 10 miles | Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | 86.8% | 7,589 |
| Blackburn | 12 miles | East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | 100.0% | 2,134 |
| St Helens | 16 miles | Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | 86.2% | 2,904 |
| Stockport | 16 miles | Stockport NHS Foundation Trust | 99.4% | 788 |
| Burnley | 16 miles | East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | 100.0% | 2,134 |
| Preston | 17 miles | Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 96.4% | 1,326 |
| Liverpool | 25 miles | Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 90.5% | 2,319 |
More for Bolton: all waiting times · A&E waiting times in Bolton · CT scan waiting times in Bolton · Ultrasound waiting times in Bolton · Endoscopy waiting times in Bolton. National picture: MRI scan waiting times in England · waiting times in the North West region.
Understanding the 6-week figure
NHS England counts everyone on the waiting list for a test at the end of each month and how many weeks they have waited since referral. The standard is that fewer than 1% of patients wait 6 weeks or more. Urgent referrals, including suspected cancer, are usually prioritised, so routine waits can be longer than the average suggests. If your wait is much longer than you were told, contact the hospital’s booking team or the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).
Sources and dates
| Official statistics | Reporting period | Published | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHS England: Diagnostics waiting times (DM01) | August 2026 | 8 October 2026 | Official source |
This page was last updated on 2 November 2026. The reporting period is the time the figures describe; the published date is when the official publisher released them. These figures describe people who were already waiting or attending during the reporting period. They are not a forecast or a guarantee of how long someone referred now will wait: that depends on clinical urgency, the hospital and the service.
Official statistics are reproduced under the Open Government Licence v3.0. See data sources and methods, or report a figure that looks wrong.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the wait for an MRI scan in Bolton?
At the end of August 2026, 98.6% of the 792 people waiting for an MRI scan at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust had waited under 6 weeks, and 1 had waited 13 weeks or more. The England figure was 78.0% under 6 weeks.
Are MRI scan waits in Bolton getting shorter?
The share waiting under 6 weeks at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust was 98.5% in February 2026 and 98.6% in August 2026, up 0.1 percentage points.
Can I have my MRI scan somewhere else?
In England you can usually discuss with your GP or the referring clinician which hospitals or community diagnostic centres you could be referred to. Waiting times at nearby trusts are listed on this page as a starting point. The nearest community diagnostic centre recording MRI scans in NHS England’s Aug 2026 data is Bolton CDC, about 2 miles from Bolton.
How often are these figures updated?
NHS England publishes A&E, diagnostics (DM01) and referral to treatment (RTT) statistics every month, usually on the second Thursday. A&E figures cover the previous month; diagnostics and RTT figures are a month further behind. This site refreshes when new files are published.