Diagnostic imaging · Norwich
MRI scans in Norwich: what it costs, and the NHS wait
Prices checked 9 Nov 2026
Cheapest nearby
£530
Spire Norwich Hospital, Norwich · 2.5 miles away
NHS wait
About 9 in 10
on the MRI list at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals had waited under 6 weeks (August 2026).
People already on the list. It can’t tell you your own wait.
Prices near Norwich
-
Spire Norwich Hospital
Norwich · 2.5 miles away
£530MRI 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 Norwich.
Hospital by hospital
Spire Norwich Hospital, Norwich, 2.5 miles away (Spire Healthcare; CQC Good, report July 2026). MRI £530 (single guide figure, no breakdown), the lowest locally.
How the prices compare
MRI scans: one local price, £530; the UK median across 93 published prices is £545.
Within 5 miles of central Norwich: Spire Norwich Hospital (2.5 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 £530 at 1 hospital. Free on the NHS.
- Wait. Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals: about 9 in 10 (87.5%) 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 Norwich
| NHS trust | Under 6 weeks | 6 weeks or more | 13 weeks or more | On the list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 87.5% | 521 | 190 | 4,184 |
| James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 43.6% | 1,900 | 668 | 3,371 |
| England | 78.0% | 78,471 | 16,345 | 357,356 |
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 3.0 miles from Norwich: 4,184 people waiting for MRI, 87.5% under six weeks, 190 at 13 weeks or more.
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 19 miles from Norwich: 3,371 people waiting for MRI, 43.6% under six weeks, 668 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: Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK, James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK.
Other clinics nearby
The CQC register lists 4 independent scanning centres and hospitals registered with the CQC to do scans and tests within 25 miles: 3 good, 1 not yet rated. 1 of them publish a price we could check here; ask the others directly.
The 4 nearest
| Location | Distance | Rating (CQC) | Price shown above? |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpaMedica Norwich | 2.4 miles | Good | No |
| Spire Norwich Hospital | 2.5 miles | Good | Yes |
| ACES Fakenham Hospital | 22 miles | Good | No |
| ACES Holt Road Hospital | 22 miles | Not yet rated | No |
Questions to ask before booking
- Ask Spire Norwich Hospital for an itemised quote, as its price is 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
- Ipswich 41 miles
- Colchester 54 miles
- Cambridge 57 miles
- Peterborough 65 miles
- Southend-on-Sea 79 miles
- Luton 89 miles
- Milton Keynes 96 miles
- Watford 99 miles
Other treatments near Norwich
This page also covers 18 nearby places with the same hospitals and NHS trust: Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth, Gorleston-on-Sea, Dereham, Wymondham, Taverham and Drayton, North Walsham, Bradwell, Watton, Beccles, Caister-on-Sea, Fakenham, Cromer, Aylsham, Poringland, Sheringham, Hethersett, Hemsby.
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: Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK, James Paget University Hospitals 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.