NHS waiting times - diagnostics
Waits for key diagnostic tests

About this release

This quarterly release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) relates to the number of waits for one of eight key diagnostic tests ongoing at 31 December 2024 and the lengths of wait experienced so far. The eight key diagnostic tests are upper endoscopy, lower endoscopy (excl. colonoscopy), colonoscopy, cystoscopy, CT scan, MRI scan, barium studies, and non-obstetric ultrasound.

Please note that individual patients are counted more than once if they are waiting for more than one diagnostic test, so the statistics released here do not necessarily reflect the actual number of individuals involved. Therefore, the terminology used in the publication is specifically aimed at preventing misinterpretation of statistics. Please refer to the full report for further detail.

Main points

Trend in ongoing waits and percentage of waits ongoing for six weeks or less at month-end, by test, NHSScotland, 31 December 2019 to 31 December 2024

This stacked area chart is plotted on a dual-axis and shows the monthly trend in the waiting list size for each of the eight key diagnostic tests individually, with an additional dark blue line to illustrate the percentage of waits ongoing for six weeks or less for all eight tests combined between 31 December 2019 and 31 December 2024. There are two vertical dotted lines depicting when COVID-19 emergency measures were introduced (March 2020) in NHSScotland and when these were lifted (April 2022). The three high-volume radiology tests (non-obstetric ultrasound, CT and MRI) largely occupy the chart, due to the volume of ongoing waits for each.

Close

Trend in ongoing waits and percentage of waits ongoing for six weeks or less at month-end, by test, NHSScotland, 31 December 2019 to 31 December 2024

At 31 December 2024:

• The total waiting list size (number of ongoing waits) for the eight key diagnostic tests combined was 133,386. This represents a 4% (-5,391) decrease from the previous quarter-end, when there were 138,777 ongoing waits. This is the lowest figure since the end of October 2021 (128,168) but remains 52% higher than the end of December 2019 when there were 87,543 waits ongoing just prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• When compared to the previous quarter-end, all four key radiology diagnostic tests saw a decrease in the number of ongoing waits. For example, waits for a non-obstetric ultrasound showed a reduction of 9% (-5,083), MRI waits reduced by 2% (-549), and CT waits reduced by 2% (-497) compared to the position on 30 September 2024.
• The pattern for endoscopy diagnostic tests was more varied. Overall, there was an increase in the size of the waiting list, from 32,404 at end of September 2024 to 33,162 at end of December 2024. This was mainly driven by increases in waits for cystoscopy (+7%, +435), and colonoscopy (+2%, +245).
• This quarter-end saw a decrease in waits over 13 weeks for radiology tests by 7% (-1,335) compared to 30 September 2024. Endoscopy tests saw an increase of 2% for waits over 13 weeks (+348) compared to last quarter.
• When looking at waits over 52 weeks, radiology waits decreased by 65% (-180) compared to the previous quarter, while endoscopy tests saw an increase of 12% (+412). Endoscopy tests accounted for 98% of all waits over 52 weeks for eight key tests combined.
• Of the 133,386 ongoing waits at quarter-end, 70,773 (53%) had not yet exceeded the six-week standard. There was variation across the eight tests, with the lowest proportion ongoing for six weeks or less being lower endoscopy (29%) and the highest CT (70%).

Further information

Data from this publication are available from the publication page on our website.

Open data from this publication is available from the Scottish Health and Social Care Open Data platform.

The next release of this publication will be 27 May 2025.

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 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.​