Ultrasound – South Tyneside and Sunderland NOT LIVE
3 in 4 (75.1%)
people on the ultrasound waiting list had waited under 6 weeks (5,766 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
Ultrasound waiting times in Sunderland
Short answer: At the end of August 2026, 75.1% of the 5,766 people waiting for an ultrasound at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, the main trust serving Sunderland, had waited under 6 weeks, compared with 77.8% across the North East and Yorkshire region and 78.3% in England. 21 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 non-obstetric ultrasound at the hospital trust serving Sunderland, from NHS England’s monthly diagnostics (DM01) statistics for August 2026.
Sunderland: local hospitals and referrals
- Nearest hospital run by South Tyneside and Sunderland: Sunderland Royal Hospital (SR4 7TP), about 1 mile from central Sunderland.
- Usually referred to: patients in Sunderland are usually referred to South Tyneside and Sunderland 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 ultrasounds: Metrocentre CDC (NE11 9YR), about 12 miles away. Source: NHS England CDC activity data, Aug 2026.
- Integrated care board: NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB.
- A nearby alternative: Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, about 9 miles away, where 98.4% of its ultrasound list had waited under 6 weeks at the end of Aug 2026.
What is an ultrasound?
Non-obstetric ultrasound uses sound waves to look at organs such as the liver, kidneys, thyroid and pelvis. Pregnancy scans are not included in these figures.
Ultrasound waiting list at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
75.1%waiting under 6 weeks
5,766people on the ultrasound waiting list
1,438waiting 6 weeks or more
21waiting 13 weeks or more
At the end of August 2026, 5,766 people were waiting for an non-obstetric ultrasound at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust. 75.1% had been waiting less than 6 weeks, which is 3.2 percentage points below the England figure of 78.3% and 2.7 percentage points below the North East and Yorkshire figure of 77.8%. 21 people (0.4%) had waited 13 weeks or more.
How long people on the ultrasound list had waited
South Tyneside and Sunderland: % waiting under 6 weeks for ultrasound England
| Month | Waiting under 6 weeks | Waiting list | England under 6 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | 75.1% | 5,766 | 78.3% |
| July 2026 | 80.5% | 5,696 | 80.4% |
| June 2026 | 76.9% | 5,829 | 80.1% |
| May 2026 | 74.1% | 5,873 | 79.5% |
| April 2026 | 75.7% | 5,520 | 78.1% |
| March 2026 | 82.3% | 5,261 | 82.3% |
| February 2026 | 88.6% | 4,912 | 83.6% |
How Sunderland compares
| Area | Under 6 weeks | Waiting list | 13+ weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust | 75.1% | 5,766 | 21 |
| North East and Yorkshire region | 77.8% | 89,123 | 6,260 |
| England | 78.3% | 648,630 | 30,620 |
Compare all trusts across England on the compare page.
Nearby hospital trusts for non-obstetric ultrasounds
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust | about 9 miles | 98.4% | 2,496 | 0 |
| The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 10 miles | 96.9% | 3,970 | 4 |
| York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 59 miles | 68.0% | 5,177 | 148 |
Ultrasound waits in nearby towns
| Nearby town | Distance | Main trust or board | Ultrasound under 6 weeks | Waiting list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gateshead | 9 miles | Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust | 98.4% | 2,496 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 10 miles | The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 96.9% | 3,970 |
| Scarborough | 59 miles | York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 68.0% | 5,177 |
More for Sunderland: all waiting times · A&E waiting times in Sunderland · MRI scan waiting times in Sunderland · CT scan waiting times in Sunderland · Endoscopy waiting times in Sunderland. National picture: Ultrasound waiting times in England · waiting times in the North East and Yorkshire 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 ultrasound in Sunderland?
At the end of August 2026, 75.1% of the 5,766 people waiting for an ultrasound at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust had waited under 6 weeks, and 21 had waited 13 weeks or more. The England figure was 78.3% under 6 weeks.
Are ultrasound waits in Sunderland getting shorter?
The share waiting under 6 weeks at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust was 88.6% in February 2026 and 75.1% in August 2026, down 13.5 percentage points.
Can I have my ultrasound 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 ultrasounds in NHS England’s Aug 2026 data is Metrocentre CDC, about 12 miles from Sunderland.
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.