CT scan – Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NOT LIVE
More than 8 in 10 (85.5%)
people on the CT scan waiting list had waited under 6 weeks (948 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 Preston
Short answer: At the end of August 2026, 85.5% of the 948 people waiting for a CT scan at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the main trust serving Preston, had waited under 6 weeks, compared with 91.5% across the North West region and 88.8% in England. 71 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 Preston, from NHS England’s monthly diagnostics (DM01) statistics for August 2026.
Preston: local hospitals and referrals
- Nearest hospital run by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals: Royal Preston Hospital (PR2 9HT), about 2 miles from central Preston.
- Usually referred to: patients in Preston are usually referred to Lancashire Teaching 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 CT scans: Preston Healthport CDC (PR2 8DW), about 1 mile away. Source: NHS England CDC activity data, Aug 2026.
- Integrated care board: NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB.
- A nearby alternative: East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, about 9 miles away, where 100.0% 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 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
85.5%waiting under 6 weeks
948people on the CT waiting list
137waiting 6 weeks or more
71waiting 13 weeks or more
At the end of August 2026, 948 people were waiting for a CT scan at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. 85.5% had been waiting less than 6 weeks, which is 3.3 percentage points below the England figure of 88.8% and 6.0 percentage points below the North West figure of 91.5%. 71 people (7.5%) had waited 13 weeks or more.
How long people on the CT scan list had waited
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals: % waiting under 6 weeks for CT England
| Month | Waiting under 6 weeks | Waiting list | England under 6 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | 85.5% | 948 | 88.8% |
| July 2026 | 85.0% | 975 | 90.1% |
| June 2026 | 91.0% | 1,117 | 90.1% |
| May 2026 | 96.0% | 1,129 | 89.0% |
| April 2026 | 98.9% | 1,176 | 87.5% |
| March 2026 | 98.5% | 1,016 | 90.0% |
| February 2026 | 95.7% | 1,081 | 90.6% |
How Preston compares
| Area | Under 6 weeks | Waiting list | 13+ weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 85.5% | 948 | 71 |
| North West region | 91.5% | 21,927 | 255 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | about 9 miles | 100.0% | 1,649 | 0 |
| Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 39 miles | 100.0% | 797 | 0 |
| Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 27 miles | 99.7% | 1,501 | 0 |
| Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | about 31 miles | 99.3% | 881 | 1 |
| Stockport NHS Foundation Trust | about 33 miles | 98.4% | 737 | 1 |
| Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | about 47 miles | 96.3% | 3,002 | 11 |
| Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust | about 25 miles | 96.0% | 2,125 | 2 |
| Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | about 21 miles | 89.6% | 1,544 | 1 |
| Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | about 27 miles | 82.1% | 4,004 | 75 |
| Bolton NHS Foundation Trust | about 17 miles | 69.7% | 363 | 50 |
CT scan waits in nearby towns
| Nearby town | Distance | Main trust or board | CT under 6 weeks | Waiting list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburn | 9 miles | East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | 100.0% | 1,649 |
| Bolton | 17 miles | Bolton NHS Foundation Trust | 69.7% | 363 |
| Burnley | 19 miles | East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | 100.0% | 1,649 |
| St Helens | 21 miles | Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | 89.6% | 1,544 |
| Salford | 25 miles | Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust | 96.0% | 2,125 |
| Liverpool | 27 miles | Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 99.7% | 1,501 |
| Manchester | 27 miles | Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | 82.1% | 4,004 |
| Wirral | 31 miles | Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 99.3% | 881 |
More for Preston: all waiting times · A&E waiting times in Preston · MRI scan waiting times in Preston · Ultrasound waiting times in Preston · Endoscopy waiting times in Preston. National picture: CT 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 a CT scan in Preston?
At the end of August 2026, 85.5% of the 948 people waiting for a CT scan at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust had waited under 6 weeks, and 71 had waited 13 weeks or more. The England figure was 88.8% under 6 weeks.
Are CT scan waits in Preston getting shorter?
The share waiting under 6 weeks at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was 95.7% in February 2026 and 85.5% in August 2026, down 10.2 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 Preston Healthport CDC, about 1 mile from Preston.
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.