Private CT

Private CT scan in England: cost, referral, how soon (2026)

We help people in England who already want a private CT scan compare prices and referral rules.

  • England
  • Independent
  • Not a clinic
  • Not the NHS

Last reviewed 5 October 2026 by Pete, editor (not a clinician). Prices checked 5 October 2026.

A private CT of one body area cost from £359 (Scan.com) to £873 (Nuffield Health Leeds) on centres' own pages on 5 October 2026. Every centre needs a referral; some have their own clinician write it. The report is not always in the price. NHS England DM01, July 2026: 9.9% of CT waiters had waited six weeks or more.

Go to the request form

Private CT prices for one body area, from centres' own pages, checked 5 October 2026
Centre typeFrom-priceContrast extraReport includedReferral ruleSource URLDate checked
Online booking service (partner scanning sites) (Scan.com)From £359 (the same page also says from £360); varies by site and body partNot statedYes. Digital radiologist's report; results estimated at 7 to 10 working daysNo GP letter needed. Its own clinicians assess you and write the referraluk.scan.com5 October 2026
Independent imaging centre (Queen Square Imaging Centre, London WC1)From £420; fixed quote for the exact scanNot statedReport to your referring doctor within 1 working day; the page does not say whether it is in the from-priceReferral from a GP or consultant needed by law, the centre says. A partner private GP service can referqueensquare.com5 October 2026
Private hospital (Pall Mall Medical, Newton-le-Willows)From £430 one area; £550 two; £670 threeNot priced on the pageNot stated. The page says a radiologist reviews the images and a private GP calls you with resultsNo NHS GP letter needed. A free consultation with its own private GP creates the referral, which a radiographer vetspallmallmedical.co.uk5 October 2026
Dedicated imaging centre group (Vista Health)£445 one part; £640 two; £835 three+£125 if contrast is requiredYes. Consultant radiologist report to your GP or referrer within 3 working daysReferral needed (GP, consultant, doctor, or registered physio, osteopath or chiropractor). Its own private GP can refer, for an extra chargevista-health.co.uk5 October 2026
Hospital group (Nuffield Health Warwickshire Hospital, Leamington Spa)Guide price £562 one partNot statedNot stated on this pageReferral letter from a GP or consultant needed before bookingnuffieldhealth.com5 October 2026
Hospital group (Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital)Guide price £650 one partNot statedResults sent to your referrer within a week; the page calls its prices all-inclusiveReferral from a healthcare professional needednuffieldhealth.com5 October 2026
Hospital group (Nuffield Health Leeds Hospital)£873 one area; £1,091 two; £1,373 three (guide)+£152 (one area with contrast £1,020)Not stated on this pageImaging referral from a GP or consultant needed; no self-referral. A consultant appointment there costs about £200nuffieldhealth.com5 October 2026
  • Vista lists CT in Central London, Milton Keynes, Hemel Hempstead, Salford, Birmingham and Bristol.
  • Nuffield Health calls these guide prices; it gives a final price once your referral has been reviewed.

Each row is the centre's own published figure, read by Pete on 5 October 2026. We list rows in price order, not as a ranking. We do not average prices. A centre can change a price at any time; its own quote is what counts. We delete a row we cannot re-check. A listed centre is not a partner of ours. Full list on Sources.

What should you know before you ask for a CT?

This is not medical advice. We cannot tell you whether you need a CT scan. CT uses ionising radiation, so the law says every scan must be justified: a practitioner at the centre must decide the benefit outweighs the risk, using the details your referrer supplies (IR(ME)R 2017). No centre can promise a scan without that check, and a centre can say no. Some centres ask their own clinician to confirm the scan is appropriate. Many still want a letter from your GP or a specialist.

Insured scans need a referral and pre-authorisation from your insurer before you book. Contrast dye is often extra and is not for everyone. A centre may ask for a kidney-function blood test first, and you should tell it about allergies, kidney problems or diabetes medicine.

Chest pain, sudden shortness of breath, signs of a stroke, a head injury, or coughing up blood are not for this website or its form. Call 999.

How do you get a private CT scan in four steps?

  1. Body area. Name the one area to be scanned. Each extra area usually costs more.
  2. Referral rule. Check who will refer you: your GP or specialist, or the centre's own clinician. Read referral.
  3. What the price includes. Ask whether the report, contrast and any consultation are in the price. See cost.
  4. Ask one centre to contact you. Use the form. Nothing is booked until you agree a time and price with the centre.

How much does a private CT scan cost in England?

The lowest published one-area price we found on 5 October 2026 was £359 at Scan.com, an online booking service that includes a clinician call and a referral. The highest one-area guide price in our table was £873 at Nuffield Health Leeds. Dedicated imaging centres sat between, at £420 to £445. These are separate published prices, not an average.

A second body area, contrast dye or a consultant's appointment all add to the bill. See CT scan cost for what each centre's price includes.

Do you need a referral for a private CT scan?

Yes, in practice always. CT uses ionising radiation, and the law says each scan must be justified by a practitioner who weighs the benefit against the risk, using details from the person who referred you. What differs is who that referrer is. Some centres want a letter from your GP or a specialist. Others, such as Scan.com and Pall Mall Medical, have their own clinician speak to you and write the referral if they think the scan is appropriate. Either way, a centre can say no. Read referral.

Is the report included in the price?

Not always. Vista Health and Scan.com say a radiologist's report is included. Some other pages do not say either way. Ask before you pay, and ask who receives the report: you, your GP, or the referrer.

How long is the NHS wait for a CT scan?

NHS England's diagnostic waiting times report for July 2026 (DM01, published 10 September 2026) shows that 9.9% of the 196,277 people waiting for a CT scan had waited six weeks or more. The NHS operational standard is less than 1%. Your local trust may be faster or slower, and urgent scans are handled differently. A private scan does not move you up an NHS list for treatment.

Which type of centre should you choose?

There are three common types. We do not rank them.

  • Dedicated imaging centres. Scanning is their main work. Prices we found were £420 to £445 for one area.
  • Hospital groups. Private hospitals with a radiology department. Guide prices were higher, and they usually want a GP or consultant referral.
  • Online booking services. They book you into a partner scanning site and their own clinicians write the referral.

Which body area do you need scanned?

  • Head (page coming; you can still use the form)
  • Sinuses (page coming; you can still use the form)
  • Chest
  • Abdomen (page coming; you can still use the form)
  • Pelvis (page coming; you can still use the form)
  • Kidneys (page coming; you can still use the form)
  • Spine (page coming; you can still use the form)
  • Heart: calcium score
  • Heart: CT coronary angiogram (page coming; you can still use the form)
  • Blood vessels: CT angiogram (page coming; you can still use the form)
  • Chest, abdomen and pelvis (CAP) (page coming; you can still use the form)

What if you are worried a symptom could be cancer?

Speak to your GP first. A GP can refer you through the NHS, and can tell you whether a scan is the right first test. This site cannot tell you whether you have cancer, and a private scan is not a substitute for that conversation.

Do you have city pages?

Not yet. We will publish a city page only when a partner imaging centre agrees to take CT requests for that area. The cities we plan to cover are London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Bristol, Newcastle, Nottingham, Leicester, Southampton, Brighton, Cambridge, Oxford, Reading. You can still use the form from anywhere in England. If no centre covers your postcode, the next page says so.

How does this site make money?

It is free for you. If you ask, we pass your request to one independent imaging centre that covers your area. That centre may pay us a fee for the introduction. We do not take payment from you, book the scan or hold a slot. On 5 October 2026, no partner centre had agreed to take CT requests yet. Until one does, we store requests, nobody will contact you about them, and the thank-you page tells you so. See how we make money.

How much is a private CT scan in England?

One body area cost from £359 (Scan.com) to £873 (Nuffield Health Leeds) on the centres' own pages we checked on 5 October 2026. Contrast, extra areas and consultations can add to that.

Can I get a private CT scan without a GP letter?

Sometimes. Some centres have their own clinician assess you and write the referral. Many still want a GP or specialist letter. Every CT must be justified under IR(ME)R, so a centre can refuse.

Is this website a clinic or the NHS?

No. We are an independent introducer. We do not scan, diagnose, refer or hold a slot.

How long is the NHS wait for a CT scan?

NHS England's diagnostic waiting times report for July 2026 (DM01, published 10 September 2026) shows that 9.9% of the 196,277 people waiting for a CT scan had waited six weeks or more. The NHS operational standard is less than 1%.