Diagnostics waiting times and activity data is available through 3 collections:

Monthly Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activity
The monthly diagnostics collection collects data on waiting times and activity for 15 key diagnostic tests and procedures. Data for this collection is available back to Jan-06.
Link to Monthly Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity page.

Quarterly Diagnostics Waiting Times
The quarterly diagnostics census collects data on patients waiting over 6 weeks for a diagnostic test. Data for this collection is available from February 2006 to March 2018 (Q4).
Link to Quarterly Diagnostics Waiting Times page.

Annual Imaging and Radiodiagnostics data
The annual diagnostics collection collected data on the number of imaging and radiological examinations or tests carried out during the year. Data for this collection is available from 1995-96 to 2013-14. Collection of this data has now ceased.
Link to Annual Imaging and Radiodiagnostics page.

In addition, the Diagnostic Imaging Dataset (DID) is a central collection of detailed information about diagnostic imaging tests carried out on NHS patients, extracted from local Radiology Information Systems (RISs) and submitted monthly. More information on the Diagnostic Imaging Dataset can be found here.

Apart from Diagnostic waiting times, NHS England also publishes on Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times, of which Diagnostic waiting times is a key part. RTT waiting times measure the patients full waiting time from GP Referral to Treatment, which may include a diagnostic test. Therefore, ensuring patients receive their diagnostic test within 6 weeks is vital to ensuring the delivery of the RTT waiting times standard of 18 weeks.

Contact Us

For further information about the published statistics, please contact us at:

Operational Information for Commissioning (National)
NHS England
Room 5E15
Quarry House
Leeds LS2 7UE
Great Britain
Email: england.nhsdata@nhs.net