NHS England’s October 2026 Board report records 23.1% of diagnostic referrals waiting more than six weeks in July 2026. The England measure improved slightly from June but remained above the level reported a year earlier. [1]

Key developments

July performance: The proportion waiting over six weeks was 23.1%, compared with 23.3% in June 2026 and 21.9% in July 2025. The report describes the monthly movement as an improvement of 0.2 percentage points and classifies the annual trend as deteriorated. The measure concerns diagnostic referrals awaiting a procedure or test at acute trusts; it is separate from the referral-to-treatment measure for elective care. [1]

Community diagnostic centre activity: NHS England states that all community diagnostic centres (CDCs) must deliver their 2026/27 activity plans. The report says sufficient revenue to deliver those plans has already been included in integrated care board (ICB) allocations. This is a requirement to deliver funded activity, rather than confirmation that every centre has achieved its plan. [1]

Use of existing capacity: The Board paper sets out performance management for trusts with low utilisation of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), non-obstetric ultrasound, echocardiography and endoscopy, to achieve utilisation targets. These actions sit alongside the requirement that new diagnostic capacity approved in 2025/26 should become operational on time during 2026/27. [1]

Appropriate testing: All trusts are required to have a demand optimisation delivery plan covering the 12 Right Test, Right Time tests and any local priorities. The report presents appropriate testing and delivery of planned activity as parallel elements of its diagnostic performance improvement programme. [1]

Long colonoscopy waits: The paper sets out requirements for 45 trusts with six-month colonoscopy waits to eliminate those waits by September 2026 and three-month waits by March 2027. It does not report whether the September requirement has been met. These are stated delivery milestones, not verified results. [1]

Diagnostic workforce: NHS England reports work to support regional rollout of workforce interventions for professions and services identified as fragile, following pilots in the East of England. The paper does not quantify the additional workforce available or the improvement achieved through those interventions. [1]

Why it matters

The July figures show that a modest improvement over one month has not restored the position reported a year earlier. NHS England’s response combines delivery of funded activity, better use of diagnostic facilities, appropriate testing and workforce interventions. Each is described as part of the improvement programme; the paper does not establish its individual effect on waiting times. [1]

The immediate relevance for provider and ICB leaders is the explicit expectation to deliver existing CDC plans and address low utilisation in named diagnostic services. The report also identifies timely opening of approved capacity as a delivery requirement for the current financial year. [1]

The Finance and Performance Committee’s update, published on 30 September 2026, places diagnostics among the services where significant challenges remain, alongside elective care and cancer. It also emphasises linking financial recovery with quality and clinical performance. Diagnostic delivery is therefore being considered within the wider operational and financial recovery programme. [2]

Sources

[1] NHS England — Integrated Performance Report, October 2026, agenda item 5; pp. 5–6, 27 and 37

[2] NHS England — Finance and Performance Committee update, published 30 September 2026; paragraphs 2 and 6