Endoscopy – Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NOT LIVE
4 in 5 (81.1%)
people on the endoscopy waiting list had waited under 6 weeks (966 waiting).
Official monthly figure, end of Aug 2026 · published 8 October 2026 · NHS England
Diagnostics (DM01) data for August 2026, published 8 October 2026
Endoscopy waiting times in Maidstone
How long people are waiting for an endoscopy at the hospital trust serving Maidstone, from NHS England’s monthly diagnostics (DM01) statistics for August 2026.
Maidstone: local hospitals and referrals
- Nearest Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospital: The Maidstone Hospital (ME16 9QQ), about 2 miles from central Maidstone.
- Usually referred to: patients in Maidstone are usually referred to Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, which runs the nearest major hospital. Your GP or referrer can tell you where you would go.
- Nearest community diagnostic centre doing endoscopys: Pitsea CDC (SS13 3DU), about 20 miles away. Source: NHS England CDC activity data, Aug 2026.
- Integrated care board: NHS Kent and Medway ICB.
- A nearby alternative: East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, about 17 miles away, where 82.4% of its endoscopy list had waited under 6 weeks at the end of Aug 2026.
What is an endoscopy?
Endoscopy here combines the four NHS England endoscopy tests: colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, cystoscopy and gastroscopy, where a thin camera is used to look inside the body.
Endoscopy waiting list at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
81.1%waiting under 6 weeks
966people on the endoscopy waiting list
183waiting 6 weeks or more
79waiting 13 weeks or more
At the end of August 2026, 966 people were waiting for an endoscopy at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. 81.1% had been waiting less than 6 weeks, which is 11.5 points above the England figure of 69.6% and 15.5 points above the South East figure of 65.6%. 79 people (8.2%) had waited 13 weeks or more.
How long people on the endoscopy list had waited
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells: % waiting under 6 weeks for endoscopy England
| Month | Waiting under 6 weeks | Waiting list | England under 6 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | 81.1% | 966 | 69.6% |
| July 2026 | 76.5% | 963 | 70.5% |
| June 2026 | 75.9% | 1,172 | 69.4% |
| May 2026 | 75.6% | 1,095 | 69.0% |
| April 2026 | 80.6% | 1,474 | 68.6% |
| March 2026 | 91.6% | 1,509 | 72.2% |
| February 2026 | 88.5% | 1,301 | 72.1% |
How Maidstone compares
| Area | Under 6 weeks | Waiting list | 13+ weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust | 81.1% | 966 | 79 |
| South East region | 65.6% | 27,523 | 5,282 |
| England | 69.6% | 197,640 | 26,159 |
Nearby hospital trusts for endoscopys
Trusts serving neighbouring towns, ordered by the share of their list waiting under 6 weeks. In England you can usually ask your GP which hospitals you could be referred to; waiting lists change from month to month.
| Trust | Distance (town) | Under 6 weeks | Waiting list | 13+ weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust | about 33 miles | 98.8% | 2,106 | 2 |
| East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | about 29 miles | 96.8% | 759 | 8 |
| Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust | about 18 miles | 94.7% | 413 | 14 |
| Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | about 33 miles | 94.0% | 1,713 | 6 |
| East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust | about 17 miles | 82.4% | 1,528 | 140 |
| Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | about 32 miles | 79.4% | 1,203 | 40 |
| Croydon Health Services NHS Trust | about 28 miles | 76.8% | 724 | 29 |
| Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | about 33 miles | 75.2% | 1,677 | 123 |
| Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust | about 26 miles | 70.5% | 1,513 | 170 |
| University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust | about 33 miles | 64.4% | 3,173 | 457 |
Endoscopy waits in nearby towns
| Nearby town | Distance | Main trust or board | Endoscopy under 6 weeks | Waiting list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashford | 17 miles | East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust | 82.4% | 1,528 |
| Dartford | 18 miles | Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust | 94.7% | 413 |
| Canterbury | 24 miles | East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust | 82.4% | 1,528 |
| Greenwich | 26 miles | Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust | 70.5% | 1,513 |
| Croydon | 28 miles | Croydon Health Services NHS Trust | 76.8% | 724 |
| Hastings | 29 miles | East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust | 96.8% | 759 |
| Hackney | 32 miles | Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | 79.4% | 1,203 |
| Westminster | 33 miles | Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust | 98.8% | 2,106 |
More for Maidstone: all waiting times · A&E waiting times in Maidstone · MRI scan waiting times in Maidstone · CT scan waiting times in Maidstone · Ultrasound waiting times in Maidstone. National picture: Endoscopy waiting times in England.
Understanding the 6-week figure
NHS England counts everyone on the waiting list for a test at the end of each month and how many weeks they have waited since referral. The standard is that fewer than 1% of patients wait 6 weeks or more. Urgent referrals, including suspected cancer, are usually prioritised, so routine waits can be longer than the average suggests. If your wait is much longer than you were told, contact the hospital’s booking team or the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).
Frequently asked questions
How long is the wait for an endoscopy in Maidstone?
At the end of August 2026, 81.1% of the 966 people waiting for an endoscopy at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust had waited under 6 weeks, and 79 had waited 13 weeks or more. The England figure was 69.6% under 6 weeks.
Are endoscopy waits in Maidstone getting shorter?
The share waiting under 6 weeks at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust was 88.5% in February 2026 and 81.1% in August 2026, down 7.4 points.
Can I have my endoscopy somewhere else?
In England you can usually discuss with your GP or the referring clinician which hospitals or community diagnostic centres you could be referred to. Waiting times at nearby trusts are listed on this page as a starting point. The nearest community diagnostic centre recording endoscopys in NHS England’s Aug 2026 data is Pitsea CDC, about 20 miles from Maidstone.
How often are these figures updated?
NHS England publishes A&E, diagnostics (DM01) and referral to treatment (RTT) statistics every month, usually on the second Thursday. A&E figures cover the previous month; diagnostics and RTT figures are a month further behind. This site refreshes when new files are published.