CT scan – University Hospitals Dorset NOT LIVE
Nearly all (99.7%)
people on the CT scan waiting list had waited under 6 weeks (1,576 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
CT scan waiting times in Poole
Short answer: At the end of August 2026, 99.7% of the 1,576 people waiting for a CT scan at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, the main trust serving Poole, had waited under 6 weeks, compared with 90.7% across the South West region and 88.8% in England. 2 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 a CT scan at the hospital trust serving Poole, from NHS England’s monthly diagnostics (DM01) statistics for August 2026.
Poole: local hospitals and referrals
- Nearest hospital run by University Hospitals Dorset: Poole Hospital (BH15 2JB), under a mile from central Poole.
- Usually referred to: patients in Poole are usually referred to University Hospitals Dorset 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 CT scans: CDC Poole @ Dorset Health Village (BH15 2JB), under a mile away. Source: NHS England CDC activity data, Aug 2026.
- Integrated care board: NHS Dorset ICB.
- A nearby alternative: Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, about 20 miles away, where 92.4% of its CT scan list had waited under 6 weeks at the end of Aug 2026.
What is a CT scan?
A CT (computed tomography) scan uses X-rays and a computer to make cross-section images of the body. It is quick and widely used for the chest, abdomen, head and to stage cancer.
CT scan waiting list at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
99.7%waiting under 6 weeks
1,576people on the CT waiting list
4waiting 6 weeks or more
2waiting 13 weeks or more
At the end of August 2026, 1,576 people were waiting for a CT scan at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust. 99.7% had been waiting less than 6 weeks, which is 10.9 percentage points above the England figure of 88.8% and 9.0 percentage points above the South West figure of 90.7%. 2 people (0.1%) had waited 13 weeks or more.
How long people on the CT scan list had waited
University Hospitals Dorset: % waiting under 6 weeks for CT England
| Month | Waiting under 6 weeks | Waiting list | England under 6 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | 99.7% | 1,576 | 88.8% |
| July 2026 | 99.9% | 1,733 | 90.1% |
| June 2026 | 99.8% | 1,695 | 90.1% |
| May 2026 | 99.6% | 1,591 | 89.0% |
| April 2026 | 99.7% | 1,496 | 87.5% |
| March 2026 | 99.9% | 1,251 | 90.0% |
| February 2026 | 99.8% | 1,355 | 90.6% |
How Poole compares
| Area | Under 6 weeks | Waiting list | 13+ weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust | 99.7% | 1,576 | 2 |
| South West region | 90.7% | 17,041 | 183 |
| England | 88.8% | 181,619 | 4,683 |
Compare all trusts across England on the compare page.
Nearby hospital trusts for CT 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 37 miles | 99.3% | 1,326 | 0 |
| Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust | about 48 miles | 97.2% | 1,009 | 0 |
| Somerset NHS Foundation Trust | about 32 miles | 93.5% | 811 | 3 |
| Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | about 20 miles | 92.4% | 448 | 0 |
| Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust | about 39 miles | 89.3% | 940 | 0 |
| University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust | about 29 miles | 81.5% | 1,099 | 74 |
CT scan waits in nearby towns
| Nearby town | Distance | Main trust or board | CT under 6 weeks | Waiting list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bournemouth | 4 miles | University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust | 99.7% | 1,576 |
| Dorchester | 20 miles | Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 92.4% | 448 |
| Weymouth | 22 miles | Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 92.4% | 448 |
| Southampton | 29 miles | University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust | 81.5% | 1,099 |
| Yeovil | 32 miles | Somerset NHS Foundation Trust | 93.5% | 811 |
| Winchester | 37 miles | Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 99.3% | 1,326 |
| Portsmouth | 39 miles | Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust | 89.3% | 940 |
| Bath | 48 miles | Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust | 97.2% | 1,009 |
More for Poole: all waiting times · A&E waiting times in Poole · MRI scan waiting times in Poole · Ultrasound waiting times in Poole · Endoscopy waiting times in Poole. National picture: CT scan waiting times in England · waiting times in the South 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 a CT scan in Poole?
At the end of August 2026, 99.7% of the 1,576 people waiting for a CT scan at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust had waited under 6 weeks, and 2 had waited 13 weeks or more. The England figure was 88.8% under 6 weeks.
Are CT scan waits in Poole getting shorter?
The share waiting under 6 weeks at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust was 99.8% in February 2026 and 99.7% in August 2026, down 0.1 percentage points.
Can I have my CT 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 CT scans in NHS England’s Aug 2026 data is CDC Poole @ Dorset Health Village, under a mile from Poole.
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.