Northern Ireland diagnostics data for Quarter ending June 2026, published 3 September 2026
NHS waiting times in Belfast
Belfast is in Northern Ireland, where hospital services are run by Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. This page shows the latest published Northern Ireland figures for diagnostic tests for that trust.
These are Northern Ireland figures, not NHS England data. Health services in Northern Ireland are run separately and publish their own statistics, which use different definitions. Figures here come from the Department of Health (Northern Ireland) hospital waiting times statistics. Emergency department waiting times for Northern Ireland are published quarterly as a report; see the Department of Health link for the latest A&E figures.
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust publishes current emergency department and urgent care waits through nidirect. These are shown below and refresh automatically. See all Northern Ireland hospitals on the live A&E waiting times page.
Live A&E waits: Belfast HSC Trust
If it's an emergency call 999. Waits are estimates from the hospital/health board; not medical advice.
Current waits for each hospital load here from the nidirect emergency department waiting times page, which is updated through the day by the Health and Social Care Trusts.
Live waits could not be loaded. See the nidirect emergency department waiting times page.
Source: nidirect, figures supplied by the Health and Social Care Trusts. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Refreshed from the source at most every 10 minutes.
Scan and test waiting times in Belfast
Northern Ireland diagnostic figures are published quarterly by the Department of Health and count people waiting more than 6 weeks at the end of the quarter.
| Test | Waiting list | Waiting over 6 weeks | % over 6 weeks | Northern Ireland % over 6 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI | 9,912 | 7,011 | 70.7% | 70.6% |
| CT | 2,955 | 1,235 | 41.8% | 46.8% |
| Ultrasound | 3,629 | 1,372 | 37.8% | 63.7% |
| Endoscopy | 1,575 | 606 | 38.5% | 40.4% |
Nearby towns
MRI waits for the nearest towns on this site.
| Nearby town | Distance | Main trust or board | MRI waiting over 6 weeks | Waiting list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor (County Down) | 11 miles | South Eastern HSC Trust | 80.0% | 5,893 |
| Antrim | 14 miles | Northern HSC Trust | 74.4% | 5,635 |
| Ballymena | 23 miles | Northern HSC Trust | 74.4% | 5,635 |
| Newry | 33 miles | Southern HSC Trust | 55.9% | 4,140 |
| Londonderry / Derry | 62 miles | Western HSC Trust | 67.1% | 4,677 |
Why England figures are not shown
NHS England statistics cover hospitals in England only. Northern Ireland has its own targets and measures: for example, Northern Ireland publishes diagnostic waits quarterly, by health and social care trust. Comparisons between nations should be made with care. For England, see the England A&E league table.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the wait for an MRI scan in Belfast?
70.7% of the 9,912 people waiting for an MRI at Belfast HSC Trust had waited more than 6 weeks (Quarter ending June 2026).
Who provides NHS hospital services in Belfast?
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. In Northern Ireland health services are run by health and social care trusts, not NHS England trusts.
Where do these figures come from?
From the Department of Health (Northern Ireland) hospital waiting times statistics, published under the Open Government Licence.