Paying for colonoscopy in the UK
A camera examination of the large bowel.
Each row is one way of paying: the NHS, the NHS paying an independent provider, private medical insurance, and paying the provider yourself. Every figure links to the page it was read from, with the date. NHS waits are for England; charges for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are shown where they have been read. Where nothing is published, the table says so.
How each route pays for colonoscopy
| Route | What it covers | Wait | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHS trust124 trusts, 71,786 people waiting | NHS test: ColonoscopyThe wait for the test, not for treatment | 3.6 weeksmedian waited so far for the test, England, August 2026; 31.8% waiting 6 weeks or more. Calculated from NHS England's published weekly bands | Not applicableNHS-funded. None of the NHS charges read (dental, prescription, sight test) applies to this |
|
| NHS-funded at another provider94 independent-sector, GP and community providers, 4,900 people waiting. Not like-for-like with trusts | NHS-funded test: ColonoscopyNHS-funded patients. Not a self-pay wait | 2.7 weeksmedian waited so far for the test, England, August 2026; 17.7% waiting 6 weeks or more. Calculated from NHS England's published weekly bands | Not applicableNHS-funded. None of the NHS charges read (dental, prescription, sight test) applies to this |
|
| Private medical insuranceExplained as a mechanism. No insurer or policy is named or compared | Not trackedSet per policy. This site does not read policies | Not trackedNo waiting time for insured patients has been read | Not publishedWhat an insurer pays, and any excess or shortfall, is set per policy | None for this row |
| Self-pay: Nuffield Health | Diagnostic colonoscopyGuide price, excludes consultant fees, prosthesis and drugs | Not trackedNo self-pay waiting time has been read for any provider | £3,180median of 27 hospitals, £2,766–£3,635 |
|
| Self-pay: Spire Healthcare | Diagnostic colonoscopy — excludes therapeutic polyp removalGuide price, includes consultant fee and initial consultation | Not trackedNo self-pay waiting time has been read for any provider | £3,004median of 34 hospitals, £2,558–£3,474 |
|
NHS England diagnostic waiting times (DM01): patients waiting at the end of the month for this test, and how long they have waited so far for the test itself. This is the wait for the test, not for treatment.
Self-pay rows are listed A to Z by provider, each with the product it prices and the page it was read from. A “from” figure is a starting price and is not comparable with a fixed fee.
More on colonoscopy
Sources
- NHS England diagnostic waiting times (DM01), provider file, August 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Nuffield Health published prices. Read 5 October 2026.
- Spire Healthcare published prices. Read 7 October 2026.
This page presents published data. It does not recommend a route, a provider or an insurer.