Endoscopy – Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NOT LIVE
4 in 5 (81.1%)
people on the endoscopy waiting list had waited under 6 weeks (2,162 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 St Helens
How long people are waiting for an endoscopy at the hospital trust serving St Helens, from NHS England’s monthly diagnostics (DM01) statistics for August 2026.
St Helens: local hospitals and referrals
- Nearest Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals hospital: St Helens Hospital (WA9 3DA), about 1 mile from central St Helens.
- Usually referred to: patients in St Helens are usually referred to Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals 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: St Helens CDC (L35 5DR), about 3 miles away. Source: NHS England CDC activity data, Aug 2026.
- Integrated care board: NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB.
- A nearby alternative: Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, about 10 miles away, where 61.9% 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 Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
81.1%waiting under 6 weeks
2,162people on the endoscopy waiting list
409waiting 6 weeks or more
45waiting 13 weeks or more
At the end of August 2026, 2,162 people were waiting for an endoscopy at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. 81.1% had been waiting less than 6 weeks, which is 11.5 points above the England figure of 69.6% and 5.7 points above the North West figure of 75.4%. 45 people (2.1%) had waited 13 weeks or more.
How long people on the endoscopy list had waited
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals: % waiting under 6 weeks for endoscopy England
| Month | Waiting under 6 weeks | Waiting list | England under 6 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | 81.1% | 2,162 | 69.6% |
| July 2026 | 78.9% | 2,324 | 70.5% |
| June 2026 | 82.2% | 2,443 | 69.4% |
| May 2026 | 81.5% | 2,343 | 69.0% |
| April 2026 | 79.6% | 2,484 | 68.6% |
| March 2026 | 85.5% | 2,066 | 72.2% |
| February 2026 | 91.9% | 1,993 | 72.1% |
How St Helens compares
| Area | Under 6 weeks | Waiting list | 13+ weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | 81.1% | 2,162 | 45 |
| North West region | 75.4% | 29,000 | 1,963 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | about 23 miles | 95.7% | 1,682 | 25 |
| Bolton NHS Foundation Trust | about 16 miles | 94.8% | 983 | 16 |
| Stockport NHS Foundation Trust | about 24 miles | 94.7% | 739 | 5 |
| Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 47 miles | 88.9% | 675 | 20 |
| Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 21 miles | 83.1% | 527 | 30 |
| Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | about 21 miles | 81.0% | 3,032 | 300 |
| Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | about 15 miles | 74.0% | 1,502 | 58 |
| Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 10 miles | 61.9% | 2,780 | 330 |
| Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust | about 19 miles | 58.3% | 4,724 | 776 |
| Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | about 53 miles | 42.8% | 4,224 | 1,341 |
Endoscopy waits in nearby towns
| Nearby town | Distance | Main trust or board | Endoscopy under 6 weeks | Waiting list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 10 miles | Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 61.9% | 2,780 |
| Wirral | 15 miles | Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 74.0% | 1,502 |
| Bolton | 16 miles | Bolton NHS Foundation Trust | 94.8% | 983 |
| Salford | 19 miles | Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust | 58.3% | 4,724 |
| Manchester | 21 miles | Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust | 81.0% | 3,032 |
| Preston | 21 miles | Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 83.1% | 527 |
| Blackburn | 23 miles | East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust | 95.7% | 1,682 |
| Stockport | 24 miles | Stockport NHS Foundation Trust | 94.7% | 739 |
More for St Helens: all waiting times · A&E waiting times in St Helens · MRI scan waiting times in St Helens · CT scan waiting times in St Helens · Ultrasound waiting times in St Helens. 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 St Helens?
At the end of August 2026, 81.1% of the 2,162 people waiting for an endoscopy at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust had waited under 6 weeks, and 45 had waited 13 weeks or more. The England figure was 69.6% under 6 weeks.
Are endoscopy waits in St Helens getting shorter?
The share waiting under 6 weeks at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was 91.9% in February 2026 and 81.1% in August 2026, down 10.8 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 St Helens CDC, about 3 miles from St Helens.
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.