MRI scan – Royal Free London NOT LIVE
More than 8 in 10 (84.4%)
people on the MRI scan waiting list had waited under 6 weeks (5,227 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 Camden
Short answer: At the end of August 2026, 84.4% of the 5,227 people waiting for an MRI scan at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, the main trust serving Camden, had waited under 6 weeks, compared with 79.4% across the London region and 78.0% in England. 23 people 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 trusts serving Camden, from NHS England’s monthly diagnostics (DM01) statistics for August 2026.
Camden: local hospitals and referrals
- Nearest hospital run by University College London Hospitals: Uclh Outreach: St Pancras Hospital (NW1 0PE), under a mile from central Camden.
- Usually referred to: patients in Camden are usually referred to Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust or University College London Hospitals 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: Wood Green CDC (N22 6YQ), about 4 miles away. Source: NHS England CDC activity data, Aug 2026.
- Integrated care board: NHS West and North London ICB.
- A nearby alternative: Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, about 3 miles away, where 82.3% 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 Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
84.4%waiting under 6 weeks
5,227people on the MRI waiting list
815waiting 6 weeks or more
23waiting 13 weeks or more
At the end of August 2026, 5,227 people were waiting for an MRI scan at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. 84.4% had been waiting less than 6 weeks, which is 6.4 percentage points above the England figure of 78.0% and 5.0 percentage points above the London figure of 79.4%. 23 people (0.4%) had waited 13 weeks or more.
How long people on the MRI scan list had waited
Royal Free London: % waiting under 6 weeks for MRI England
| Month | Waiting under 6 weeks | Waiting list | England under 6 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | 84.4% | 5,227 | 78.0% |
| July 2026 | 89.1% | 5,643 | 78.6% |
| June 2026 | 92.1% | 5,151 | 77.7% |
| May 2026 | 95.3% | 4,319 | 76.9% |
| April 2026 | 96.1% | 4,617 | 75.5% |
| March 2026 | 99.6% | 5,047 | 78.4% |
| February 2026 | 99.3% | 4,663 | 80.0% |
MRI scan waiting list at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
72.2%waiting under 6 weeks
6,544people on the MRI waiting list
1,819waiting 6 weeks or more
312waiting 13 weeks or more
At the end of August 2026, 6,544 people were waiting for an MRI scan at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. 72.2% had been waiting less than 6 weeks, which is 5.8 percentage points below the England figure of 78.0% and 7.2 percentage points below the London figure of 79.4%. 312 people (4.8%) had waited 13 weeks or more.
How long people on the MRI scan list had waited
University College London Hospitals: % waiting under 6 weeks for MRI England
| Month | Waiting under 6 weeks | Waiting list | England under 6 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | 72.2% | 6,544 | 78.0% |
| July 2026 | 69.2% | 7,096 | 78.6% |
| June 2026 | 64.5% | 7,655 | 77.7% |
| May 2026 | 65.4% | 7,907 | 76.9% |
| April 2026 | 62.0% | 8,183 | 75.5% |
| March 2026 | 64.2% | 8,265 | 78.4% |
| February 2026 | 68.0% | 7,804 | 80.0% |
How Camden compares
| Area | Under 6 weeks | Waiting list | 13+ weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust | 84.4% | 5,227 | 23 |
| University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 72.2% | 6,544 | 312 |
| London region | 79.4% | 59,127 | 3,391 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | about 4 miles | 100.0% | 1,322 | 0 |
| Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust | about 17 miles | 100.0% | 846 | 0 |
| Croydon Health Services NHS Trust | about 12 miles | 99.2% | 1,984 | 1 |
| Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 24 miles | 99.2% | 1,029 | 0 |
| Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust | about 16 miles | 99.1% | 1,602 | 2 |
| Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust | about 8 miles | 96.9% | 1,482 | 24 |
| Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust | about 25 miles | 89.1% | 2,492 | 46 |
| Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust | about 19 miles | 83.7% | 1,599 | 115 |
| Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust | about 3 miles | 82.3% | 4,902 | 31 |
| Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | about 3 miles | 82.0% | 2,711 | 7 |
MRI scan waits in nearby towns
| Nearby town | Distance | Main trust or board | MRI under 6 weeks | Waiting list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster | 3 miles | Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust | 82.3% | 4,902 |
| Hackney | 4 miles | Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | 100.0% | 1,322 |
| Greenwich | 8 miles | Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust | 96.9% | 1,482 |
| Croydon | 12 miles | Croydon Health Services NHS Trust | 99.2% | 1,984 |
| Epsom | 16 miles | Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust | 99.1% | 1,602 |
| Dartford | 17 miles | Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust | 100.0% | 846 |
| Slough | 19 miles | Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust | 83.7% | 1,599 |
| Woking | 24 miles | Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 99.2% | 1,029 |
More for Camden: all waiting times · A&E waiting times in Camden · CT scan waiting times in Camden · Ultrasound waiting times in Camden · Endoscopy waiting times in Camden. National picture: MRI scan waiting times in England · waiting times in the London 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 Camden?
At the end of August 2026, 84.4% of the 5,227 people waiting for an MRI scan at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust had waited under 6 weeks, and 23 had waited 13 weeks or more. The England figure was 78.0% under 6 weeks.
Are MRI scan waits in Camden getting shorter?
The share waiting under 6 weeks at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust was 99.3% in February 2026 and 84.4% in August 2026, down 14.9 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 Wood Green CDC, about 4 miles from Camden.
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.