Diagnostic imaging · Chester
MRI scans in Chester: what it costs, and the NHS wait
Prices checked 9 Nov 2026
Cheapest nearby
£565
Spire Murrayfield Hospital Wirral, Wirral · 13 miles away
Typical price
£585
The middle of 5 published MRI scan prices within 25 miles.
NHS wait
About 9 in 10
on the MRI list at Countess of Chester Hospital had waited under 6 weeks (August 2026).
People already on the list. It can’t tell you your own wait.
Prices near Chester
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Spire Murrayfield Hospital Wirral
Wirral · 13 miles away
£565MRI 1 AREA
What’s included: Spire says its MRI prices include contrast dye when needed and the radiologist’s report. You need a referral letter from a GP or consultant.
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Spire Liverpool Hospital
Liverpool · 13 miles away
£565MRI 1 AREA
What’s included: Spire says its MRI prices include contrast dye when needed and the radiologist’s report. You need a referral letter from a GP or consultant.
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Spire Cheshire Hospital
Warrington · 17 miles away
£585MRI 1 AREA
What’s included: Spire says its MRI prices include contrast dye when needed and the radiologist’s report. You need a referral letter from a GP or consultant.
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Nuffield Health Chester Hospital
Chester · 1.0 miles away
£590MRI Scan (1 part)
What’s included: Nuffield’s guide price for one body part. Nuffield says you get a fixed price after your consultation; check with the hospital whether the report is included.
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Spire Yale Hospital
Wrexham · 11 miles away
£590MRI 1 AREA
What’s included: Spire says its MRI prices include contrast dye when needed and the radiologist’s report. You need a referral letter from a GP or consultant.
Prices the hospitals publish on their own websites, not quotes. Nobody pays to be listed. Distances are straight-line miles from the centre of Chester.
Hospital by hospital
Nuffield Health Chester Hospital, Chester, 1.0 miles away (Nuffield Health; CQC Good, report December 2016). MRI £590 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £25 above the local lowest.
Spire Yale Hospital, Wrexham, 11 miles away (Spire Healthcare; not yet rated by CQC). MRI £590 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £25 above the local lowest.
Spire Murrayfield Hospital Wirral, Wirral, 13 miles away (Spire Healthcare; CQC Good, report July 2022). MRI £565 (single guide figure, no breakdown), the lowest locally.
Spire Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, 13 miles away (Spire Healthcare; CQC Good, report October 2022). MRI £565 (single guide figure, no breakdown), the lowest locally.
Spire Cheshire Hospital, Warrington, 17 miles away (Spire Healthcare; CQC Outstanding, report May 2017). MRI £585 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £20 above the local lowest.
How the prices compare
MRI scans: 5 local prices span £25, from £565 to £590; the UK median across 93 published prices is £545. The nearest, Nuffield Health Chester Hospital, is £25 dearer than the cheapest.
Within 5 miles of central Chester: Nuffield Health Chester Hospital (1.0 miles).
10 to 25 miles of central Chester: Spire Yale Hospital (11 miles), Spire Murrayfield Hospital Wirral (13 miles), Spire Liverpool Hospital (13 miles) and Spire Cheshire Hospital (17 miles).
Typical for MRI scan: an outpatient scan.
Tip: count the journeys for the consultation, the procedure and follow-up when weighing a cheaper hospital further away.
Private or NHS?
- Cost. MRI scan £565 to £590 at 5 hospitals. Free on the NHS.
- Wait. Countess of Chester Hospital: about 9 in 10 (92.1%) under 6 weeks. England: 78.0%.
Private hospitals usually ask for a referral letter or a consultation first. Not sure which is right for you? Your GP can refer you on the NHS and talk through your options.
The NHS wait near Chester
| NHS trust | Under 6 weeks | 6 weeks or more | 13 weeks or more | On the list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 92.1% | 79 | 5 | 1,000 |
| Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 98.1% | 21 | 2 | 1,105 |
| England | 78.0% | 78,471 | 16,345 | 357,356 |
Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, 1.2 miles from Chester: 1,000 people waiting for MRI, 92.1% under six weeks, 5 at 13 weeks or more.
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, 15 miles from Chester: 1,105 people waiting for MRI, 98.1% under six weeks, 2 at 13 weeks or more.
These figures describe people already waiting at the end of the month, not how long a new referral will wait. The NHS standard is that fewer than 1% wait six weeks or more.
Source: NHS England, Monthly Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activity (DM01), August 2026 data, published 8 October 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Month-by-month figures: Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK.
Other clinics nearby
The CQC register lists 6 independent scanning centres and hospitals registered with the CQC to do scans and tests within 12 miles: 1 good, 5 not yet rated. 1 of them publish a price we could check here; ask the others directly.
The 6 nearest
| Location | Distance | Rating (CQC) | Price shown above? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuffield Health The Grosvenor Hospital Chester | 1.0 miles | Good | Yes |
| SpaMedica Chester | 2.1 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| Cheshire Cosmetic Surgery | 2.1 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| Newmedica Community Ophthalmology Service | 5.1 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| Kelsall Surgical Centre | 7.6 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| Area Base of Mobile DEXA Scanning Service | 10 miles | Not yet rated | No |
Questions to ask before booking
- Ask Nuffield Health Chester Hospital, Spire Cheshire Hospital and Spire Liverpool Hospital for an itemised quote, as their prices are published as a single figure.
- For MRI scan, weigh Spire Murrayfield Hospital Wirral (13 miles) against Nuffield Health Chester Hospital (1.0 miles): the £25 saving comes with a longer trip, so ask each how many follow-up visits are included.
- Ask whether the price includes the radiologist’s report, and how quickly you will get it.
Nearby
MRI scans in nearby places
- Liverpool 15 miles
- Bolton 33 miles
- Stockport 34 miles
- Stoke-on-Trent 34 miles
- Telford 39 miles
- Blackburn 42 miles
- Blackpool 42 miles
- Wolverhampton 52 miles
Other treatments near Chester
Where these figures come from
Prices: from each hospital’s own price page and breakdown on the date shown next to each price. We store the price, what the page says it includes, the link and the date.
Each hospital group describes its prices differently (guide prices, fixed packages or “from” prices), so read what’s included before comparing totals.
Clinic details and ratings: CQC register (HSCA Active Locations, downloaded 9 November 2026), Open Government Licence v3.0. A rating describes the whole location, not one treatment.
Source: NHS England, Monthly Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activity (DM01), August 2026 data, published 8 October 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Month-by-month figures: Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK.
Typical price is the middle (median) of the published prices within 25 miles, shown only when there are at least four.
Independent. We’re not part of the NHS or any hospital, we’re not clinicians, and nothing here is medical advice. Hospitals can’t pay to appear or to change their position.