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Diagnostic Access

A measure of how quickly people can get the tests and scans that unlock diagnosis, treatment decisions and onward referrals.

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Elective Diagnostics Time-critical System pressure Sentiment
Latest pillar reading
74.4
Severe pressure
Data month: July 2026

Weight in headline index: 20%

What this pillar is showing

Diagnostics are a critical bottleneck. When access to tests slows down, it often drags on the rest of the pathway behind it.

Primary chart

Pillar score history

This is the main trend line for the pillar itself. It shows how pressure in this area has moved over recent scored months. Higher scores mean more access pressure.

Range
Show

Diagnostic Access fell by 0.7 points to 74.4 in July 2026. Higher scores mean more access pressure.

Status bands are shown as background ranges. The latest point is highlighted; hover or tap points for month, score, change and comparison values.

View chart data table
Month Pillar score 3-month average Headline index
April 2021 50.3 50.3 31.0
May 2021 48.5 49.4 31.1
June 2021 50.1 49.6 34.3
July 2021 53.0 50.5 35.7
August 2021 59.3 54.1 39.6
January 2022 68.7 60.3 61.9
February 2022 59.2 62.4 50.8
March 2022 63.3 63.7 55.0
April 2022 69.6 64.0 58.4
May 2022 65.6 66.2 57.9
June 2022 68.6 67.9 61.2
July 2022 68.4 67.5 63.0
August 2022 72.0 69.7 65.0
September 2022 73.3 71.2 68.8
October 2022 67.9 71.1 69.9
November 2022 68.4 69.9 68.1
December 2022 72.5 69.6 73.3
January 2023 74.2 71.7 72.2
February 2023 65.3 70.7 64.0
March 2023 66.2 68.6 63.6
April 2023 68.6 66.7 63.6
May 2023 66.1 67.0 64.8
June 2023 65.5 66.7 63.2
July 2023 65.7 65.8 61.9
August 2023 68.5 66.6 65.1
September 2023 66.8 67.0 67.8
October 2023 64.2 66.5 68.6
November 2023 62.1 64.4 66.1
December 2023 66.8 64.4 66.6
January 2024 66.9 65.3 70.3
February 2024 57.1 63.6 61.6
March 2024 59.8 61.3 59.7
April 2024 62.7 59.9 62.0
May 2024 61.6 61.4 60.9
June 2024 62.5 62.3 59.5
July 2024 60.8 61.6 58.8
August 2024 61.3 61.5 58.2
September 2024 59.8 60.6 59.9
October 2024 57.7 59.6 60.4
November 2024 55.5 57.7 57.0
December 2024 59.0 57.4 58.3
January 2025 60.8 58.4 61.5
February 2025 52.8 57.5 54.6
March 2025 56.1 56.6 53.3
April 2025 61.6 56.8 55.9
May 2025 63.7 60.5 56.3
June 2025 63.2 62.8 54.7
July 2025 64.9 63.9 54.1
August 2025 66.3 64.8 55.5
September 2025 64.9 65.4 57.2
October 2025 65.4 65.5 57.6
November 2025 65.2 65.2 56.5
December 2025 70.6 67.1 56.3
January 2026 73.2 69.7 62.8
February 2026 66.4 70.1 55.3
March 2026 88.3 76.0 54.7
April 2026 79.2 78.0 57.6
May 2026 75.6 81.0 54.0
June 2026 75.1 76.6 53.8
July 2026 74.4 75.0 52.8

Latest context

Latest pillar score
74.4
Raw score for July 2026.
Weighted contribution
16.5
Contribution into the headline Treatment Access Index.
Headline index same month
52.8
Useful for comparing this pillar against the overall access environment.

Secondary charts

Total waiting

Waiting list
1.915 million

Total diagnostic waiting list size.

Range
View data
MonthTotal waiting
Jan 06 809,927
Feb 06 811,312
Mar 06 812,778
Apr 06 799,594
May 06 808,817
Jun 06 788,198
Jul 06 781,198
Aug 06 779,101
Sep 06 776,517
Oct 06 809,647
Nov 06 799,976
Dec 06 814,360
Jan 07 778,228
Feb 07 733,273
Mar 07 700,396
Apr 07 694,174
May 07 687,871
Jun 07 676,928
Jul 07 642,693
Aug 07 608,522
Sep 07 583,506
Oct 07 565,678
Nov 07 529,296
Dec 07 505,958
Jan 08 478,396
Feb 08 448,761
Mar 08 411,569
Apr 08 414,900
May 08 421,109
Jun 08 425,159
Jul 08 421,081
Aug 08 412,837
Sep 08 423,594
Oct 08 432,043
Nov 08 412,483
Dec 08 403,955
Jan 09 418,702
Feb 09 436,513
Mar 09 482,381
Apr 09 492,726
May 09 494,266
Jun 09 490,366
Jul 09 484,141
Aug 09 466,790
Sep 09 487,701
Oct 09 501,207
Nov 09 490,899
Dec 09 479,622
Jan 10 486,101
Feb 10 507,850
Mar 10 524,786
Apr 10 529,248
May 10 536,262
Jun 10 537,012
Jul 10 537,451
Aug 10 520,470
Sep 10 538,717
Oct 10 553,115
Nov 10 537,938
Dec 10 502,804
Jan 11 527,390
Feb 11 549,326
Mar 11 575,638
Apr 11 556,981
May 11 584,346
Jun 11 595,495
Jul 11 583,794
Aug 11 560,347
Sep 11 578,854
Oct 11 590,756
Nov 11 600,779
Dec 11 563,665
Jan 12 583,257
Feb 12 604,521
Mar 12 625,054
Apr 12 632,236
May 12 651,633
Jun 12 657,050
Jul 12 659,796
Aug 12 624,057
Sep 12 635,594
Oct 12 657,048
Nov 12 654,251
Dec 12 618,284
Jan 13 633,102
Feb 13 660,153
Mar 13 677,731
Apr 13 678,370
May 13 699,678
Jun 13 688,536
Jul 13 684,410
Aug 13 660,340
Sep 13 682,859
Oct 13 707,949
Nov 13 712,408
Dec 13 682,518
Jan 14 732,417
Feb 14 762,877
Mar 14 789,392
Apr 14 774,290
May 14 795,136
Jun 14 809,830
Jul 14 777,954
Aug 14 737,930
Sep 14 760,834
Oct 14 788,755
Nov 14 793,591
Dec 14 762,946
Jan 15 766,414
Feb 15 813,279
Mar 15 842,263
Apr 15 833,883
May 15 835,416
Jun 15 848,156
Jul 15 857,460
Aug 15 805,498
Sep 15 835,860
Oct 15 851,120
Nov 15 838,631
Dec 15 806,942
Jan 16 818,658
Feb 16 864,542
Mar 16 876,329
Apr 16 869,220
May 16 895,489
Jun 16 910,308
Jul 16 883,206
Aug 16 840,942
Sep 16 882,311
Oct 16 878,916
Nov 16 886,075
Dec 16 841,909
Jan 17 847,244
Feb 17 886,573
Mar 17 934,010
Apr 17 900,136
May 17 917,257
Jun 17 922,261
Jul 17 911,939
Aug 17 875,076
Sep 17 898,880
Oct 17 919,949
Nov 17 930,187
Dec 17 877,849
Jan 18 891,193
Feb 18 943,452
Mar 18 979,831
Apr 18 998,942
May 18 1,025,279
Jun 18 1,013,153
Jul 18 976,052
Aug 18 932,779
Sep 18 947,932
Oct 18 986,582
Nov 18 993,544
Dec 18 953,335
Jan 19 989,748
Feb 19 1,040,639
Mar 19 1,071,744
Apr 19 1,054,527
May 19 1,059,830
Jun 19 1,067,211
Jul 19 1,058,026
Aug 19 997,416
Sep 19 1,023,211
Oct 19 1,074,488
Nov 19 1,059,254
Dec 19 1,004,652
Jan 20 1,045,404
Feb 20 1,082,022
Mar 20 841,707
Apr 20 841,049
May 20 979,650
Jun 20 1,129,279
Jul 20 1,236,943
Aug 20 1,241,753
Sep 20 1,271,102
Oct 20 1,240,021
Nov 20 1,199,875
Dec 20 1,184,075
Jan 21 1,132,791
Feb 21 1,151,235
Mar 21 1,255,865
Apr 21 1,293,491
May 21 1,333,921
Jun 21 1,367,706
Jul 21 1,383,445
Aug 21 1,361,184
Sep 21 1,414,910
Oct 21 1,428,415
Nov 21 1,455,012
Dec 21 1,445,032
Jan 22 1,452,887
Feb 22 1,507,483
Mar 22 1,567,843
Apr 22 1,547,050
May 22 1,566,216
Jun 22 1,565,497
Jul 22 1,537,170
Aug 22 1,528,520
Sep 22 1,568,219
Oct 22 1,549,994
Nov 22 1,593,025
Dec 22 1,540,543
Jan 23 1,580,165
Feb 23 1,601,492
Mar 23 1,628,321
Apr 23 1,564,381
May 23 1,589,524
Jun 23 1,608,742
Jul 23 1,598,154
Aug 23 1,564,070
Sep 23 1,583,598
Oct 23 1,596,386
Nov 23 1,610,395
Dec 23 1,555,322
Jan 24 1,582,442
Feb 24 1,611,563
Mar 24 1,625,118
Apr 24 1,641,153
May 24 1,660,414
Jun 24 1,641,952
Jul 24 1,627,309
Aug 24 1,562,141
Sep 24 1,587,330
Oct 24 1,630,981
Nov 24 1,615,001
Dec 24 1,563,343
Jan 25 1,622,396
Feb 25 1,669,101
Mar 25 1,703,573
Apr 25 1,697,205
May 25 1,710,133
Jun 25 1,733,072
Jul 25 1,747,524
Aug 25 1,677,909
Sep 25 1,717,121
Oct 25 1,786,726
Nov 25 1,760,183
Dec 25 1,742,477
Jan 26 1,810,874
Feb 26 1,862,814
Mar 26 1,918,239
Apr 26 1,945,187
May 26 1.904 million
Jun 26 1.925 million
Jul 26 1.915 million

Over 6 weeks

6+ weeks
23.1%

Share of patients waiting longer than the core diagnostic standard.

Range
View data
MonthOver 6 weeks
Jan 06 54.8%
Feb 06 49.0%
Mar 06 48.8%
Apr 06 50.6%
May 06 48.0%
Jun 06 46.1%
Jul 06 46.0%
Aug 06 47.7%
Sep 06 45.3%
Oct 06 45.3%
Nov 06 43.7%
Dec 06 46.7%
Jan 07 45.1%
Feb 07 37.8%
Mar 07 34.7%
Apr 07 35.9%
May 07 32.7%
Jun 07 31.2%
Jul 07 29.0%
Aug 07 28.6%
Sep 07 24.0%
Oct 07 20.2%
Nov 07 17.0%
Dec 07 17.0%
Jan 08 14.1%
Feb 08 7.4%
Mar 08 3.1%
Apr 08 2.9%
May 08 2.8%
Jun 08 2.4%
Jul 08 2.6%
Aug 08 2.5%
Sep 08 1.6%
Oct 08 1.4%
Nov 08 1.2%
Dec 08 1.4%
Jan 09 1.4%
Feb 09 0.9%
Mar 09 0.6%
Apr 09 0.8%
May 09 0.8%
Jun 09 0.8%
Jul 09 0.9%
Aug 09 0.9%
Sep 09 0.7%
Oct 09 0.5%
Nov 09 0.6%
Dec 09 1.1%
Jan 10 1.5%
Feb 10 0.7%
Mar 10 0.7%
Apr 10 0.8%
May 10 0.7%
Jun 10 0.7%
Jul 10 0.7%
Aug 10 1.1%
Sep 10 1.0%
Oct 10 1.0%
Nov 10 1.1%
Dec 10 2.0%
Jan 11 2.2%
Feb 11 1.5%
Mar 11 1.9%
Apr 11 2.6%
May 11 2.7%
Jun 11 2.1%
Jul 11 1.8%
Aug 11 2.0%
Sep 11 1.7%
Oct 11 1.3%
Nov 11 1.1%
Dec 11 1.4%
Jan 12 1.5%
Feb 12 0.9%
Mar 12 0.7%
Apr 12 1.0%
May 12 0.8%
Jun 12 1.3%
Jul 12 0.9%
Aug 12 1.0%
Sep 12 0.8%
Oct 12 0.6%
Nov 12 0.7%
Dec 12 1.1%
Jan 13 1.3%
Feb 13 0.9%
Mar 13 1.1%
Apr 13 1.1%
May 13 1.0%
Jun 13 0.9%
Jul 13 0.9%
Aug 13 1.1%
Sep 13 0.9%
Oct 13 0.7%
Nov 13 0.8%
Dec 13 1.3%
Jan 14 1.8%
Feb 14 1.3%
Mar 14 1.6%
Apr 14 2.2%
May 14 2.4%
Jun 14 2.0%
Jul 14 1.7%
Aug 14 1.9%
Sep 14 1.5%
Oct 14 1.3%
Nov 14 1.2%
Dec 14 2.0%
Jan 15 2.4%
Feb 15 1.5%
Mar 15 1.5%
Apr 15 2.0%
May 15 1.8%
Jun 15 1.8%
Jul 15 1.8%
Aug 15 2.2%
Sep 15 1.9%
Oct 15 1.7%
Nov 15 1.6%
Dec 15 2.2%
Jan 16 2.1%
Feb 16 1.3%
Mar 16 1.7%
Apr 16 1.8%
May 16 1.4%
Jun 16 1.5%
Jul 16 1.4%
Aug 16 1.7%
Sep 16 1.5%
Oct 16 1.1%
Nov 16 1.1%
Dec 16 1.7%
Jan 17 1.7%
Feb 17 1.0%
Mar 17 1.1%
Apr 17 1.8%
May 17 1.9%
Jun 17 1.9%
Jul 17 1.8%
Aug 17 2.2%
Sep 17 2.0%
Oct 17 1.7%
Nov 17 1.7%
Dec 17 2.2%
Jan 18 2.3%
Feb 18 1.6%
Mar 18 2.1%
Apr 18 2.5%
May 18 2.7%
Jun 18 2.9%
Jul 18 2.8%
Aug 18 3.1%
Sep 18 2.7%
Oct 18 2.3%
Nov 18 2.4%
Dec 18 3.3%
Jan 19 3.6%
Feb 19 2.3%
Mar 19 2.5%
Apr 19 3.6%
May 19 4.1%
Jun 19 3.8%
Jul 19 3.5%
Aug 19 4.3%
Sep 19 3.8%
Oct 19 3.2%
Nov 19 3.0%
Dec 19 4.2%
Jan 20 4.4%
Feb 20 2.8%
Mar 20 10.2%
Apr 20 55.7%
May 20 58.5%
Jun 20 47.8%
Jul 20 39.6%
Aug 20 38.1%
Sep 20 33.0%
Oct 20 29.2%
Nov 20 27.5%
Dec 20 29.2%
Jan 21 33.3%
Feb 21 28.5%
Mar 21 24.3%
Apr 21 24.0%
May 21 22.3%
Jun 21 22.4%
Jul 21 23.5%
Aug 21 27.1%
Sep 21 26.1%
Oct 21 25.0%
Nov 21 25.0%
Dec 21 29.0%
Jan 22 29.9%
Feb 22 24.0%
Mar 22 24.8%
Apr 22 28.4%
May 22 26.0%
Jun 22 27.5%
Jul 22 28.0%
Aug 22 30.5%
Sep 22 29.8%
Oct 22 27.5%
Nov 22 26.9%
Dec 22 31.3%
Jan 23 30.8%
Feb 23 25.1%
Mar 23 25.0%
Apr 23 27.5%
May 23 25.8%
Jun 23 25.1%
Jul 23 25.4%
Aug 23 27.5%
Sep 23 26.3%
Oct 23 24.7%
Nov 23 23.3%
Dec 23 26.8%
Jan 24 26.3%
Feb 24 20.8%
Mar 24 21.9%
Apr 24 23.0%
May 24 22.0%
Jun 24 22.9%
Jul 24 22.4%
Aug 24 24.0%
Sep 24 22.7%
Oct 24 20.7%
Nov 24 19.9%
Dec 24 22.8%
Jan 25 22.4%
Feb 25 17.5%
Mar 25 18.4%
Apr 25 21.3%
May 25 22.0%
Jun 25 21.3%
Jul 25 21.9%
Aug 25 24.0%
Sep 25 22.5%
Oct 25 21.3%
Nov 25 21.7%
Dec 25 24.8%
Jan 26 24.7%
Feb 26 20.2%
Mar 26 406925
Apr 26 24.9%
May 26 24.0%
Jun 26 23.3%
Jul 26 23.1%

What to watch

  • Total waiting: Total diagnostic waiting list size.
  • Over 6 weeks: Share of patients waiting longer than the core diagnostic standard.
Private treatment context

How diagnostic waits relate to PMI cover

Diagnostic access is one of the clearest areas where private medical insurance can matter, because scans and specialist investigations often shape what happens next. The detail still depends on outpatient limits, scan rules, referral pathways, exclusions and underwriting.

Does PMI cover MRI and CT scans? Do you need outpatient cover? Inpatient vs outpatient cover What PMI cover can include

Important note

The Treatment Access Index is general information only. It is not medical advice, insurance advice, or a recommendation to buy private medical insurance. You should consider your own needs and speak to a suitable specialist before making decisions about cover.