An MRI scan uses magnetic fields to produce detailed images of soft tissue, joints, the spine and the brain. At the end of June 2026, 364,548 people across England were on the waiting list for MRI, and 23% had waited longer than the NHS’s six-week target — but where you live changes that wait dramatically, and private scans are available within days.
Where MRI waits are longest
| NHS trust | People waiting | Waiting beyond 6 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Spire Hull and East Riding Hospital | 476 | 85% |
| James Paget University Hospitals | 3,553 | 54% |
| United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals | 7,236 | 52% |
| Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals | 8,752 | 50% |
| Kettering General Hospital | 3,439 | 49% |
| Northern Lincolnshire and Goole | 4,910 | 48% |
| Portsmouth Hospitals University | 2,856 | 48% |
| Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals | 3,806 | 47% |
| East Kent Hospitals University | 13,059 | 46% |
| The Princess Alexandra Hospital | 3,336 | 45% |
| Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals | 8,561 | 44% |
| University Hospitals of Derby and Burton | 6,813 | 44% |
A wait beyond six weeks for MRI is counted as a breach of the NHS standard. In the trusts above, most patients had waited longer than that — which is exactly where going private saves the most time.
Skip the queue with private treatment
A long wait for MRI is a wait for the answers a diagnosis brings. Private cover can have you seen by a consultant in days, not months. 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 going private cost for MRI? Private hospitals publish self-pay prices and can usually book you in within days. Private medical insurance covers diagnostic tests in full when you are referred, provided the problem is not one you already have.
Why do NHS MRI waits vary so much? Capacity, staffing and demand differ by trust, so the wait for the same test can be a few days in one place and several months in another.
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.