NHS waiting times - diagnostics
Waits for key diagnostic tests

About this release

This quarterly release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) shows the number of ongoing waits for eight key diagnostic tests at 30 June 2026 and the lengths of wait experienced so far. These include four endoscopy tests (upper endoscopy, lower endoscopy excl. colonoscopy, colonoscopy, and cystoscopy) and four radiology tests (CT scan, MRI scan, barium studies, and non-obstetric ultrasound). The national waiting times standard is that patients should wait no longer than six weeks (42 days) for these diagnostic tests. This publication includes an 'Official Statistics in Development' release of data on the number of eight key diagnostic tests performed for the period from April 2024 onwards.

Main points

This stacked area chart is plotted on a dual-axis and shows the monthly trend in the waiting list size for endoscopy tests combined and radiology tests combined. There are also sparklines to illustrate the percentage of waits ongoing for six weeks or less for all eight tests combined, all endoscopy tests combined and all radiology tests combined from 30 June 2023 to 30 June 2026. Radiology tests largely occupy the chart, due to the volume of ongoing waits for these tests compared to endoscopy tests.

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Figure 1: Trend in ongoing waits and percentage of waits ongoing for six weeks or less at month-end, NHS Scotland, 30 June 2023 to 30 June 2026

For ongoing waits at 30 June 2026:

• The total waiting list size (number of ongoing waits) for the eight key diagnostic tests combined was 107,803: 26,008 endoscopy waits and 81,795 radiology waits. This is a 4% decrease (-4,893) from the previous quarter-end, when there were 112,696 ongoing waits. The latest quarter end has the lowest number of ongoing waits seen since 31 March 2021 (105,653).
• There was a decrease in the waiting list size for both endoscopy (-7%, -1,923) and radiology (-4%, -2,970) when compared to the previous quarter-end. The decrease for endoscopy was seen across all four tests: colonoscopy showed a decrease of 798 (-10%), upper endoscopy by 500 (-4%), cystoscopy showed a decrease of 371 (-8%) and lower endoscopy reduced by 254 (-10%). The decrease for radiology was driven by MRI (-12%, -3,213) and CT (-6%, -1,247) while an increase was seen for non-obstetric ultrasound (+4%, +1,464), and barium studies (+7%, +26),
• Of the 107,803 ongoing waits at quarter-end, 72% (77,924) had not yet exceeded the six-week standard, similar to last quarter-end (72%, 80,781) and was a 19-percentage point increase compared to end June 2025 (80,618). On 30 June 2026, 53% of endoscopy tests had been ongoing for less than 6 weeks compared to 79% of radiology tests. These are the highest figures for both test types since 31 March 2020, although radiology tests were the same for 31 May 2026.
• The number of radiology tests ongoing over 26 weeks reduced by 91% (-2,447) compared to the same quarter a year ago at 30 June 2025. This decrease was driven by MRI (-95%, -2,136) and is the lowest level seen since recording of the longer wait categories began in September 2020. The number of endoscopy tests ongoing over 26 weeks also reduced (-62%, -6,041) compared to the same quarter a year ago (June 2025). This decrease was driven by colonoscopy (-80%, -2,235) and lower endoscopy (-74%, -1,121) and is the lowest level seen since recording of the longer wait categories began in September 2020.

This stacked area chart shows the monthly trend in activity for endoscopy tests combined and radiology tests combined between 30 April 2024 and 30 June 2026. Radiology tests largely occupy the chart, due to the volume of activity for these tests compared to endoscopy tests.

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Trend in volume of activity for 8 key diagnostic tests from April 2024 to June 2026

For activity during quarter-ending 30 June 2026:

• The total volume of activity (number of completed tests) for the eight key diagnostic tests combined was 239,833 (204,833 in radiology and 35,000 in endoscopy). This is a 6% decrease (-15,399) from the previous quarter, when there were 255,232 completed tests. It is a 9% increase (+19,690) when compared to the same quarter last year. The latest quarter of activity is the third highest volume of activity reported to PHS since recording of activity began, quarter ending June 2024.
• When compared to the previous quarter, the volume of activity decreased by 7% (-15,254) for radiology tests and by less than 1% (-145) for endoscopy tests. It increased, when compared to the same quarter last year, by 9% (+17,055) for radiology activity and 8% (+2,635) for endoscopy activity.
• When compared to the previous quarter, an increase was seen in upper endoscopy (+4%, +487) and colonoscopy (+2%, +276) and a decrease was seen in cystoscopy (-9%, -616) and lower endoscopy (-11%, -292). For radiology tests, all four tests contributed to the decrease: non-obstetric ultrasound (-10%, -9,933), MRI (-9%, -5,261), CT (-<1%, -49), and barium studies (-1%, -11).
• Of the 239,833 completed tests across the quarter, almost three quarters (73%, 175,663) were completed within six weeks. The peak of the quarter was in June 2026, where over three quarters were completed within six weeks (76%, 60,671). For endoscopy tests across the quarter, 67% (23,592) of tests were completed within 6 weeks; for radiology, the figure was 74% (152,071).
• The number of key tests delivered after a wait of over 52 weeks, when compared to the previous quarter, decreased by 35% (-636), from 1,833 to 1,197. Endoscopy tests saw the number of tests delivered after a wait of over 52 weeks decrease by 31% (-437), while the number of radiology tests decreased by 47% (-199).

Updated waiting times guidance

To enable health boards to apply 2023 Waiting Times Guidance calculations to aggregate data submissions, updates to health board IT systems and changes to local processes are required. Boards will implement these changes at different time points locally over the next 12-18 months. At 30 June 2026, 5 boards had upgraded their systems to incorporate these changes so far, affecting 41.3% of diagnostic test waits across Scotland. Statistics up to 30 June 2026 comprise some waits calculated under 2012 and some under 2023 rules. Some waits for endoscopy and radiology are shorter under the new guidance, but this does not substantially affect trends over time. For further information on the impact this has had on figures for NHS Scotland and NHS boards which have implemented the guidance, please refer to the data quality document.

Further information

The next release of this publication will be 24 November 2026.

PHS is currently undertaking a review of the statistical publications we produce; all planned care waiting times outputs are being reviewed and this may lead to a change in the content, layout and frequency of future publications. Any substantial changes will be announced ahead of implementation. For more information, please contact us at phs.waitingtimes@phs.scot.​