MRI scan – University Hospitals Sussex NOT LIVE
9 in 10 (92.5%)
people on the MRI scan waiting list had waited under 6 weeks (2,755 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 Worthing
Short answer: At the end of August 2026, 92.5% of the 2,755 people waiting for an MRI scan at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, the main trust serving Worthing, had waited under 6 weeks, compared with 77.4% across the South East region and 78.0% in England. 56 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 trust serving Worthing, from NHS England’s monthly diagnostics (DM01) statistics for August 2026.
Worthing: local hospitals and referrals
- Nearest hospital run by University Hospitals Sussex: Worthing Hospital (BN11 2DH), under a mile from central Worthing.
- Usually referred to: patients in Worthing are usually referred to University Hospitals Sussex 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: Southlands Hospital CDC (BN43 6TQ), about 5 miles away. Source: NHS England CDC activity data, Aug 2026.
- Integrated care board: NHS Surrey and Sussex ICB.
- A nearby alternative: East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, about 17 miles away, where 93.6% 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 University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
92.5%waiting under 6 weeks
2,755people on the MRI waiting list
208waiting 6 weeks or more
56waiting 13 weeks or more
At the end of August 2026, 2,755 people were waiting for an MRI scan at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. 92.5% had been waiting less than 6 weeks, which is 14.5 percentage points above the England figure of 78.0% and 15.1 percentage points above the South East figure of 77.4%. 56 people (2.0%) had waited 13 weeks or more.
How long people on the MRI scan list had waited
University Hospitals Sussex: % waiting under 6 weeks for MRI England
| Month | Waiting under 6 weeks | Waiting list | England under 6 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | 92.5% | 2,755 | 78.0% |
| July 2026 | 94.4% | 3,203 | 78.6% |
| June 2026 | 93.6% | 3,143 | 77.7% |
| May 2026 | 92.8% | 2,926 | 76.9% |
| April 2026 | 92.6% | 3,105 | 75.5% |
| March 2026 | 96.5% | 3,053 | 78.4% |
| February 2026 | 92.7% | 2,830 | 80.0% |
How Worthing compares
| Area | Under 6 weeks | Waiting list | 13+ weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust | 92.5% | 2,755 | 56 |
| South East region | 77.4% | 54,655 | 2,547 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust | about 31 miles | 99.8% | 859 | 1 |
| Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 36 miles | 99.2% | 1,029 | 0 |
| Croydon Health Services NHS Trust | about 40 miles | 99.2% | 1,984 | 1 |
| Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust | about 36 miles | 99.1% | 1,602 | 2 |
| East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | about 17 miles | 93.6% | 2,030 | 16 |
| Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 44 miles | 91.1% | 1,879 | 22 |
| University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust | about 45 miles | 86.3% | 1,581 | 34 |
| Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust | about 49 miles | 82.3% | 4,902 | 31 |
| Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | about 49 miles | 82.0% | 2,711 | 7 |
| Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | about 22 miles | 73.9% | 2,579 | 2 |
| Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust | about 31 miles | 41.0% | 2,737 | 993 |
MRI scan waits in nearby towns
| Nearby town | Distance | Main trust or board | MRI under 6 weeks | Waiting list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton | 10 miles | University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust | 92.5% | 2,755 |
| Lewes | 17 miles | University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust | 92.5% | 2,755 |
| Crawley | 22 miles | Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | 73.9% | 2,579 |
| Eastbourne | 29 miles | East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | 93.6% | 2,030 |
| Guildford | 31 miles | Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust | 99.8% | 859 |
| Portsmouth | 31 miles | Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust | 41.0% | 2,737 |
| Epsom | 36 miles | Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust | 99.1% | 1,602 |
| Woking | 36 miles | Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 99.2% | 1,029 |
More for Worthing: all waiting times · A&E waiting times in Worthing · CT scan waiting times in Worthing · Ultrasound waiting times in Worthing · Endoscopy waiting times in Worthing. National picture: MRI scan waiting times in England · waiting times in the South East 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 Worthing?
At the end of August 2026, 92.5% of the 2,755 people waiting for an MRI scan at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust had waited under 6 weeks, and 56 had waited 13 weeks or more. The England figure was 78.0% under 6 weeks.
Are MRI scan waits in Worthing getting shorter?
The share waiting under 6 weeks at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust was 92.7% in February 2026 and 92.5% in August 2026, down 0.2 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 Southlands Hospital CDC, about 5 miles from Worthing.
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.