Gastroenterology covers digestive conditions of the stomach, bowel, liver and pancreas. At the end of June 2026, 346,813 people in England were waiting for gastroenterology treatment. Just 69% were seen within the 18-week target, and 3,151 had already waited more than a year — the sort of queue private treatment can skip for anything you are not already being treated for.
Where gastroenterology waits are worst
| NHS trust | People waiting | Seen within 18 weeks | Waiting over a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Lincolnshire and Goole | 4,119 | 41% | 403 |
| Mid Cheshire Hospitals | 1,611 | 42% | 42 |
| Lancashire Teaching Hospitals | 1,869 | 46% | 52 |
| Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals | 2,170 | 50% | 0 |
| East Cheshire | 1,906 | 50% | 96 |
| Hull University Teaching Hospitals | 3,180 | 52% | 97 |
| Mid and South Essex | 9,529 | 53% | 431 |
| Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals | 4,419 | 54% | 107 |
| Northern Care Alliance | 13,661 | 54% | 273 |
| James Paget University Hospitals | 1,570 | 55% | 71 |
| University Hospitals Sussex | 4,935 | 55% | 48 |
| Great Western Hospitals | 3,667 | 56% | 85 |
The 18-week target is the point at which the NHS says treatment should have started. In the trusts above, most gastroenterology patients had already waited longer.
Skip the queue with private treatment
Nobody wants to spend months on a gastroenterology waiting list. A self-pay colonoscopy costs around £2,795, and cover pays for treatment like it in full, usually within weeks. It will not pay for a condition you are already waiting on, so arrange it before a problem starts — compare cover, see if it is worth it, or get a free quote.
Frequently asked questions
What does private gastroenterology cost? A common gastroenterology procedure such as colonoscopy costs around £2,795 self-pay, and private medical insurance covers it when arranged before symptoms begin.
Can I switch to private care once I am on the NHS list? You can pay privately at any time, but insurance will not cover a condition you are already waiting to have treated — that is why cover is worth arranging while you are well.
Source: NHS England Referral to Treatment (RTT) and Diagnostics (DM01) waiting-times statistics, June 2026; self-pay figures from UK private hospitals’ own published price lists. Waiting-list figures change monthly.