Diagnostic imaging · Plymouth
MRI scans in Plymouth: what it costs, and the NHS wait
Prices checked 9 Nov 2026
Cheapest nearby
£350
Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth, Plymouth · 1.1 miles away
NHS wait
About 6 in 10
on the MRI list at Royal Devon University Healthcare had waited under 6 weeks (August 2026).
People already on the list. It can’t tell you your own wait.
Prices near Plymouth
-
Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth
Plymouth · 1.1 miles away
£350MRI scan – one body part
What’s included: A fixed treatment price. The first consultation costs £145 on top; Practice Plus says that includes a nurse assessment, any blood tests and swabs needed, and an X-ray if required.
Price breakdown, as published
Published price breakdown, Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth Stage In the price? As published Initial consultation Not included £145 (charged separately) -
Nuffield Health Plymouth Hospital
Plymouth · 1.6 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.
Prices the hospitals publish on their own websites, not quotes. Nobody pays to be listed. Distances are straight-line miles from the centre of Plymouth.
Hospital by hospital
Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth, Plymouth, 1.1 miles away (Practice Plus Group; CQC Good, report February 2023). MRI £350, the lowest locally.
Nuffield Health Plymouth Hospital, Plymouth, 1.6 miles away (Nuffield Health; CQC Good, report July 2022). MRI £590 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £240 above the local lowest.
How the prices compare
MRI scans: 2 local prices span £240, from £350 to £590; the UK median across 93 published prices is £545.
Within 5 miles of central Plymouth: Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth (1.1 miles) and Nuffield Health Plymouth Hospital (1.6 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 £350 to £590 at 2 hospitals. Free on the NHS.
- Wait. Royal Devon University Healthcare: about 6 in 10 (57.8%) 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 Plymouth
| NHS trust | Under 6 weeks | 6 weeks or more | 13 weeks or more | On the list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | 57.8% | 1,941 | 668 | 4,597 |
| England | 78.0% | 78,471 | 16,345 | 357,356 |
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, 35 miles from Plymouth: 4,597 people waiting for MRI, 57.8% 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: Royal Devon University Healthcare 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: 4 good. 2 of them publish a price we could check here; ask the others directly.
The 4 nearest
| Location | Distance | Rating (CQC) | Price shown above? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth | 1.1 miles | Good | Yes |
| Peninsula Heart Clinic | 1.5 miles | Good | No |
| Nuffield Health Plymouth Hospital | 1.6 miles | Good | Yes |
| Southwest Veins Limited | 2.9 miles | Good | No |
Questions to ask before booking
- Ask Nuffield Health Plymouth 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
- Bournemouth 102 miles
- Kingswood and Fishponds 103 miles
- Southampton 125 miles
- Hereford 130 miles
- Basingstoke 145 miles
- Chichester 150 miles
- Reading 156 miles
- Oxford 156 miles
This page also covers 7 nearby places with the same hospitals and NHS trust: Saltash, Tavistock, Liskeard, Launceston, Torpoint, Kingsbridge, Looe.
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: Royal Devon University Healthcare 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.