Diagnostic imaging · Stockport
MRI scans in Stockport: what it costs, and the NHS wait
Prices checked 9 Nov 2026
Cheapest nearby
£400
Nuffield Health Manchester Diagnostic Suite, Manchester · 4.5 miles away
Typical price
£555
The middle of 6 published MRI scan prices within 25 miles.
NHS wait
Almost all
on the MRI list at Stockport had waited under 6 weeks (August 2026).
People already on the list. It can’t tell you your own wait.
Prices near Stockport
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Nuffield Health Manchester Diagnostic Suite
Manchester · 4.5 miles away
£400MRI 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 Manchester Hospital
Manchester · 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 Regency Hospital Macclesfield
Macclesfield · 10 miles away
£545MRI 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 Manchester Hospital
Manchester · 4.0 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 Elland Hospital
Elland · 24 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 · 18 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.
Prices the hospitals publish on their own websites, not quotes. Nobody pays to be listed. Distances are straight-line miles from the centre of Stockport.
Hospital by hospital
Spire Manchester Hospital, Manchester, 4.0 miles away (Spire Healthcare; CQC Outstanding, report October 2022). MRI £510 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £110 above the local lowest.
Spire Manchester Hospital, Manchester, 4.0 miles away (Spire Healthcare; CQC Outstanding, report October 2022). MRI £565 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £165 above the local lowest.
Nuffield Health Manchester Diagnostic Suite, Manchester, 4.5 miles away (Nuffield Health; CQC Outstanding, report March 2026). MRI £400 (single guide figure, no breakdown), the lowest locally.
Spire Regency Hospital Macclesfield, Macclesfield, 10 miles away (Spire Healthcare; CQC Good, report February 2022). MRI £545 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £145 above the local lowest.
Spire Cheshire Hospital, Warrington, 18 miles away (Spire Healthcare; CQC Outstanding, report May 2017). MRI £585 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £185 above the local lowest.
Spire Elland Hospital, Elland, 24 miles away (Spire Healthcare; CQC Good, report March 2017). MRI £565 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £165 above the local lowest.
How the prices compare
MRI scans: 6 local prices span £185, from £400 to £585; the UK median across 93 published prices is £545. The nearest, Spire Manchester Hospital, is £110 dearer than the cheapest.
Within 5 miles of central Stockport: Spire Manchester Hospital (4.0 miles), Spire Manchester Hospital (4.0 miles) and Nuffield Health Manchester Diagnostic Suite (4.5 miles).
10 to 25 miles of central Stockport: Spire Regency Hospital Macclesfield (10 miles), Spire Cheshire Hospital (18 miles) and Spire Elland Hospital (24 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 £400 to £585 at 6 hospitals. Free on the NHS.
- Wait. Stockport: almost all (99.4%) 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 Stockport
| NHS trust | Under 6 weeks | 6 weeks or more | 13 weeks or more | On the list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockport NHS Foundation Trust | 99.4% | 5 | 0 | 788 |
| Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | 86.8% | 1,000 | 153 | 7,589 |
| England | 78.0% | 78,471 | 16,345 | 357,356 |
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, 2.2 miles from Stockport: 788 people waiting for MRI, 99.4% under six weeks, 0 at 13 weeks or more.
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, 4.5 miles from Stockport: 7,589 people waiting for MRI, 86.8% under six weeks, 153 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: Stockport NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK.
Other clinics nearby
The CQC register lists 30 independent scanning centres and hospitals registered with the CQC to do scans and tests within 9.3 miles: 2 outstanding, 14 good, 2 requires improvement, 12 not yet rated. 1 of them publish a price we could check here; ask the others directly.
The 12 nearest
| Location | Distance | Rating (CQC) | Price shown above? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Health and Eyecare Limited (CHEC - Stockport) | 0.3 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| Medical Imaging Partnership Manchester | 1.4 miles | Requires improvement | No |
| The Alexandra Hospital | 2.4 miles | Good | No |
| Mastercall Healthcare | 2.4 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| HCA Healthcare UK The Christie Private Care | 3.2 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| Wimpole Clinic (Manchester) | 3.2 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| Optegra Manchester Eye Hospital | 3.9 miles | Good | No |
| Medserena Upright MRI Centre | 3.9 miles | Good | No |
| Pines Hospital | 4.0 miles | Good | No |
| Spire Manchester Hospital | 4.0 miles | Outstanding | Yes |
| The OrthTeam Centre - Manchester | 4.0 miles | Good | No |
| Parkway | 4.2 miles | Requires improvement | No |
And 18 more within 9.3 miles on the register.
Questions to ask before booking
- Ask Nuffield Health Manchester Diagnostic Suite, Spire Cheshire Hospital and Spire Elland 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
- Bolton 17 miles
- Huddersfield 22 miles
- Blackburn 27 miles
- Sheffield 29 miles
- Stoke-on-Trent 29 miles
- Bradford 31 miles
- Liverpool 31 miles
- Chester 34 miles
This page also covers 5 nearby places with the same hospitals and NHS trust: Denton, Hyde, Bredbury and Woodley, Marple, Romiley.
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: Stockport NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK, Manchester University 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.