Diagnostic imaging · Maidstone
MRI scans in Maidstone: what it costs, and the NHS wait
Prices checked 9 Nov 2026
Cheapest nearby
from£420
KIMS Hospital, Maidstone, Maidstone · 1.9 miles away
Typical price
£495
The middle of 5 published MRI scan prices within 25 miles.
NHS wait
Almost all
on the MRI list at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells had waited under 6 weeks (August 2026).
People already on the list. It can’t tell you your own wait.
Prices near Maidstone
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KIMS Hospital, Maidstone
Maidstone · 1.9 miles away
from£420MRI scan
What’s included: KIMS calls this a guide “from” price. Its page doesn’t list what’s included, so check with the hospital.
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Nuffield Health Tunbridge Wells Hospital
Tunbridge Wells · 14 miles away
£450MRI 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 Wellesley Hospital
Southend-on-Sea · 22 miles away
£495MRI 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 Alexandra Hospital
Chatham · 4.0 miles away
£510MRI 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 Hartswood Hospital
Brentwood · 25 miles away
£615MRI 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 Maidstone.
Hospital by hospital
KIMS Hospital, Maidstone, Maidstone, 1.9 miles away (KIMS Hospital; CQC Good, report October 2019). MRI from £420 (single guide figure, no breakdown), the lowest locally.
Spire Alexandra Hospital, Chatham, 4.0 miles away (Spire Healthcare; CQC Requires improvement, report September 2017). MRI £510 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £90 above the local lowest.
Nuffield Health Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Tunbridge Wells, 14 miles away (Nuffield Health; CQC Good, report July 2017). MRI £450 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £30 above the local lowest.
Spire Wellesley Hospital, Southend-on-Sea, 22 miles away (Spire Healthcare; CQC Good, report October 2026). MRI £495 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £75 above the local lowest.
Spire Hartswood Hospital, Brentwood, 25 miles away (Spire Healthcare; CQC Good, report March 2022). MRI £615 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £195 above the local lowest.
How the prices compare
MRI scans: 5 local prices span £195, from £420 to £615; the UK median across 93 published prices is £545.
Within 5 miles of central Maidstone: KIMS Hospital, Maidstone (1.9 miles) and Spire Alexandra Hospital (4.0 miles).
10 to 25 miles of central Maidstone: Nuffield Health Tunbridge Wells Hospital (14 miles), Spire Wellesley Hospital (22 miles) and Spire Hartswood Hospital (25 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 £420 to £615 at 5 hospitals. Free on the NHS.
- Wait. Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells: almost all (99.0%) 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 Maidstone
| NHS trust | Under 6 weeks | 6 weeks or more | 13 weeks or more | On the list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust | 99.0% | 15 | 0 | 1,526 |
| Medway NHS Foundation Trust | 98.5% | 21 | 3 | 1,414 |
| England | 78.0% | 78,471 | 16,345 | 357,356 |
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, 1.6 miles from Maidstone: 1,526 people waiting for MRI, 99.0% under six weeks, 0 at 13 weeks or more.
Medway NHS Foundation Trust, 7.6 miles from Maidstone: 1,414 people waiting for MRI, 98.5% under six weeks, 3 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: Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust on Waiting Times UK, Medway NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK.
Other clinics nearby
The CQC register lists 9 independent scanning centres and hospitals registered with the CQC to do scans and tests within 9.3 miles: 7 good, 1 requires improvement, 1 not yet rated. 2 of them publish a price we could check here; ask the others directly.
The 9 nearest
| Location | Distance | Rating (CQC) | Price shown above? |
|---|---|---|---|
| The KSL Clinic Ltd | 0.4 miles | Good | No |
| InHealth MRI - Maidstone Hospital | 1.6 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| KIMS Hospital | 1.9 miles | Good | Yes |
| Spire Alexandra Hospital | 4.0 miles | Requires improvement | Yes |
| Genesis Care, Maidstone | 5.5 miles | Good | No |
| Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre, Gillingham | 8.0 miles | Good | No |
| SpaMedica Sittingbourne | 8.3 miles | Good | No |
| CES Medical - Headcorn | 8.5 miles | Good | No |
| CES Medical - Chatham | 9.1 miles | Good | No |
Questions to ask before booking
- Ask KIMS Hospital, Maidstone, Nuffield Health Tunbridge Wells Hospital and Spire Alexandra Hospital for an itemised quote, as their prices are published as a single figure.
- Ask whether the price includes the radiologist’s report, and how quickly you will get it.
Nearby
MRI scans in nearby places
- Southend-on-Sea 21 miles
- Crawley 32 miles
- Brighton and Hove 40 miles
- Colchester 46 miles
- Watford 48 miles
- Luton 59 miles
- Ipswich 61 miles
- Chichester 64 miles
Other treatments near Maidstone
- Hip and knee replacement
- Knee arthroscopy and carpal tunnel surgery
- Cataract surgery
- Colonoscopy and gastroscopy
This page also covers 4 nearby places with the same hospitals and NHS trust: Chatham, Larkfield, Snodland, Coxheath.
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: Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust on Waiting Times UK, Medway 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.