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 ongoing waits for one of eight key diagnostic tests at 30 September 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 March 2019 to 30 September 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 March 2019 and 30 September 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 March 2019 to 30 September 2024

At 30 September 2024:

• The total waiting list size (number of ongoing waits) for the eight key tests combined was 138,782. This represents a 7% (-11,129) decrease from the previous quarter-end when there were 149,911 ongoing waits and is lower than observed in September 2023 (151,651). However, this figure remains higher than prior to when the COVID-19 pandemic began to significantly impact service provision. For instance, it remains more than two-thirds (59%) higher than at 30 September 2019 when there were 87,424 waits ongoing.
• When compared to the previous quarter-end, six of the eight key diagnostic tests saw a decrease in the number of ongoing waits reported. Waits for a CT scan showed a reduction of 11% (-3,104), colonoscopy waits reduced by 11% (-1,433), non-obstetric ultrasound reduced by 9% (-5,122), and MRI waits reduced by 5% (-1,362). On the other hand, small increases were seen for cystoscopy (+5%, +269), and barium studies (+10%, +29).
• Of this quarter-end's ongoing waits for the eight key tests combined, 54% had not yet exceeded the six-week standard, an increase from the 50% reported last quarter. However, there was variation across tests, with just 31% of waits for a lower endoscopy ongoing for six weeks or less compared to 66% for a CT.
• This quarter-end saw an overall decrease, by a fifth (-20%, -823) in waits over 26 weeks for the four key radiology tests compared to 30 June 2024. Despite this overall decrease, waits ongoing for longer than 26 weeks for an MRI increased by almost two-thirds (+63%, +523). Endoscopy tests saw an increase of 4% for waits over 26 weeks (+381) compared to last quarter, with endoscopy tests now accounting for 73% of waits over 26 weeks for the 8 key diagnostic tests. However, this overall increase was not seen across all endoscopy tests. For example, the number of waits longer than 26 weeks for a colonoscopy showed a decrease of 3% (-100).
• When looking at waits over 52 weeks, radiology tests decreased by 6% (-16) compared to the previous quarter, while endoscopy tests saw an increase of 11% (+339). Endoscopy tests accounted for 93% of all waits over 52 weeks for eight key tests combined. This overall increase was not observed across all endoscopy tests. For example, the number of waits longer than 52 weeks for an upper endoscopy showed a decrease of 21% (-85).

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 25 February 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.​