Private vs NHS
The NHS wait, city by city
Official NHS England figures for MRI scans, eye care and GP appointments in each city we cover, beside the private prices we have verified.
NHS data to August 2026 (MRI, eye care) and September 2026 (GP)Prices checked 9 Nov 2026
In short
These figures describe waiting lists and appointment books. They are not predictions for any individual, and a shorter NHS wait in one area does not mean you can be seen there. NHS figures are carried through from Waiting Times UK, which publishes the full monthly series.
Private vs NHS · official figures
The NHS wait for an MRI scan
of the 357,356 people on England’s NHS MRI waiting list had waited under six weeks (August 2026)
had waited six weeks or more. The NHS standard is fewer than 1%.
| City and NHS trust | Under 6 weeks |
|---|---|
| Truro: Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust | 94.7% |
| Bristol: Bristol NHS Foundation Trust | 92.0% |
| Manchester: Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | 86.8% |
| Birmingham: University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | 80.3% |
| Leeds: Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | 90.8% |
| London (range across 3 trusts) | 72.2% to 84.4% |
Source: NHS England, Monthly Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activity (DM01), August 2026 data, published 8 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. See the full local picture on Waiting Times UK.
Private vs NHS · official figures
The NHS wait for eye care
median wait so far for NHS eye care across England (August 2026)
had waited under 18 weeks, against a standard of 92%
| City and NHS trust | Median wait | Under 18 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Truro: Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust | 8.0 wks | 80.2% |
| Bristol: Bristol NHS Foundation Trust | 8.8 wks | 75.9% |
| Manchester: Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | 11.6 wks | 68.4% |
| Birmingham: University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | 12.0 wks | 65.4% |
| Leeds: Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | 8.1 wks | 83.0% |
| London: Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust | 9.6 wks | 75.7% |
| London: Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust | 12.2 wks | 66.0% |
Source: NHS England, Consultant-led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times, August 2026 data, published 8 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. See the full local picture on Waiting Times UK.
Private vs NHS · official figures
How quickly NHS practices see patients
of GP practice appointments in England took place on the day they were booked (September 2026)
took place within 14 days of booking
| City and NHS area | Same day | Within 14 days |
|---|---|---|
| Truro: NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board | 45.0% | 77.2% |
| Bristol: NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board | 37.0% | 76.5% |
| Manchester: NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board | 44.2% | 81.9% |
| Birmingham: NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board | 50.8% | 87.5% |
| Leeds: NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board | 46.1% | 80.1% |
| London: NHS West and North London Integrated Care Board | 48.2% | 88.2% |
Appointments recorded in GP practice appointment books (practice systems only; PCN appointment systems are not included in the ICB breakdown). Time is from booking to appointment date, not from first contact.
Source: NHS England, Appointments in General Practice, September 2026 data, published 29 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. See the full local picture on Waiting Times UK.
Private prices we have verified
- Private GP appointmentsPublished range£59–£89
- Private blood testsPublished rangeOn request
- Private MRI scansGuide “from” pricesPublished range£475–£565
- Private cataract surgeryGuide “from” pricesPublished range£3,128–£4,347
- Private physiotherapyPublished range£65–£79
Lowest and highest self-pay price published by the providers we profile, not the whole market. Each figure comes from the provider’s own website; the treatment page shows every source and the date we checked it. Guide “from” prices can rise after assessment.