Diagnostic imaging · Sunderland
MRI scans in Sunderland: what it costs, and the NHS wait
Prices checked 9 Nov 2026
Cheapest nearby
£395
Spire Washington Hospital, Washington · 6.2 miles away
NHS wait
About 8 in 10
on the MRI list at South Tyneside and Sunderland had waited under 6 weeks (August 2026).
People already on the list. It can’t tell you your own wait.
Prices near Sunderland
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Spire Washington Hospital
Washington · 6.2 miles away
£395MRI 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 Tees Hospital
Stockton on Tees · 22 miles away
£589MRI 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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Nuffield Health Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital
Newcastle upon Tyne · 9.6 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 Sunderland.
Hospital by hospital
Spire Washington Hospital, Washington, 6.2 miles away (Spire Healthcare; CQC Good, report April 2026). MRI £395 (single guide figure, no breakdown), the lowest locally.
Nuffield Health Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, 9.6 miles away (Nuffield Health; CQC Good, report August 2026). MRI £590 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £195 above the local lowest.
Nuffield Health Tees Hospital, Stockton on Tees, 22 miles away (Nuffield Health; CQC Good, report April 2022). MRI £589 (single guide figure, no breakdown), £194 above the local lowest.
How the prices compare
MRI scans: 3 local prices span £195, from £395 to £590; the UK median across 93 published prices is £545.
5 to 10 miles of central Sunderland: Spire Washington Hospital (6.2 miles) and Nuffield Health Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital (9.6 miles).
10 to 25 miles of central Sunderland: Nuffield Health Tees Hospital (22 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 £395 to £590 at 3 hospitals. Free on the NHS.
- Wait. South Tyneside and Sunderland: about 8 in 10 (77.6%) 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 Sunderland
| NHS trust | Under 6 weeks | 6 weeks or more | 13 weeks or more | On the list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust | 77.6% | 261 | 29 | 1,167 |
| Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust | 100.0% | 0 | 0 | 405 |
| England | 78.0% | 78,471 | 16,345 | 357,356 |
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, 0.1 miles from Sunderland: 1,167 people waiting for MRI, 77.6% under six weeks, 29 at 13 weeks or more.
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, 7.2 miles from Sunderland: 405 people waiting for MRI, 100.0% under six weeks, 0 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: South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK, Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK.
Other clinics nearby
The CQC register lists 10 independent scanning centres and hospitals registered with the CQC to do scans and tests within 9.3 miles: 6 good, 4 not yet rated. 1 of them publish a price we could check here; ask the others directly.
The 10 nearest
| Location | Distance | Rating (CQC) | Price shown above? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spire Washington Hospital | 6.2 miles | Good | Yes |
| Tesla Radiology Solutions Ltd. Diagnostic Clinic | 6.7 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| Tyneside Surgical Services | 8.4 miles | Good | No |
| SpaMedica Newcastle (Gateshead) | 8.5 miles | Good | No |
| Beverley Hospital | 8.5 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| Numi Scan Gateshead | 8.6 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| InHealth MRI - North Tyneside General Hospital | 8.7 miles | Good | No |
| SpaMedica North Tyneside | 8.9 miles | Not yet rated | No |
| Optegra Eye Hospital Newcastle | 8.9 miles | Good | No |
| Cobalt Hospital | 9.3 miles | Good | No |
Questions to ask before booking
- Ask Nuffield Health Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital, Nuffield Health Tees Hospital and Spire Washington 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
- Newcastle upon Tyne 11 miles
- Middlesbrough 26 miles
- York 67 miles
- Bradford 78 miles
- Huddersfield 88 miles
- Blackburn 91 miles
- Bolton 100 miles
- Blackpool 100 miles
Other treatments near Sunderland
This page also covers 11 nearby places with the same hospitals and NHS trust: Washington, Durham, Chester-le-Street, Seaham, Shiney Row and Penshaw, Birtley, Houghton-le-Spring, Hetton-le-Hole, Pelton and Ouston, Murton, Fence Houses.
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: South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust on Waiting Times UK, Gateshead Health 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.