Private Colonoscopy

Private colonoscopy after a positive FIT test

Bowel symptoms? Contact a GP, and call 999 or go to A&E for heavy bleeding, black stools with collapse, or severe pain. Keep your NHS referral or screening appointment first.

After a positive screening FIT, the NHS offers a specialist nurse appointment (NHS website). A private colonoscopy is an extra, paid route, not a replacement. This is not medical advice.

Last reviewed 7 October 2026 by Pete, editor (not a clinician). NHS sources opened 7 October 2026. Prices checked 3 October 2026.

  • England
  • Independent
  • Not a clinic
  • Not the NHS

What we can and cannot do

This is not medical advice. We are not a clinic and not the NHS. We do not perform the test, diagnose, refer, or hold a slot. We cannot read your FIT result or tell you whether any test is right for you.

Keep your NHS bowel screening appointment. If you have been referred on a two-week wait, keep that appointment. Two-week-wait and NHS bowel screening referrals are NHS routes. A private colonoscopy is a separate, paid option. If you are offered an urgent NHS referral, take it.

If a GP gave you the FIT kit because of bowel symptoms, follow what that GP says about the result. Contact a GP, and call 999 or go to A&E for heavy bleeding, black stools with collapse, or severe pain.

What does the NHS do after a positive screening FIT?

The NHS bowel screening home test (FIT) checks a poo sample for blood. It is offered to people aged 50 to 74 every 2 years. Results usually arrive by letter within 2 weeks. If the letter says “further tests needed”, you are invited to an appointment with a specialist nurse who talks with you about the result and what happens next. Source: NHS website: Bowel cancer screening, opened 7 October 2026.

The screening programme's own leaflet says it will offer an appointment to discuss having a colonoscopy, and that around 2 to 3 in 100 people get a “further tests needed” result. Source: GOV.UK: Your guide to NHS bowel cancer screening, opened 7 October 2026.

Questions about your kit or result letter go to the free NHS bowel cancer screening helpline: 0800 707 6060, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

On pages we opened on 3 October 2026, prices ran from £1,600 (hospital fees only) to a £3,635 guide price. Polyp removal, histology, sedation and the consultant fee are often extra. Most hospitals that state a rule want a GP letter. Every price row and its source is on private colonoscopy cost.

One national NHS figure, named: NHS England DM01, July 2026, 30.8% of people on the colonoscopy waiting list had waited six weeks or more (NHS England DM01 report, published 10 September 2026). It is not your screening appointment date. Your screening centre sets that.

Four steps if you choose to pay as well

  1. What the price includes. Ask whether the quote covers the consultation, sedation, polyp removal, histology (the lab test on any tissue taken) and the consultant's fee. These are often extra. See what is included.
  2. Referral rule. Most hospitals want a GP or consultant letter. A few clinics offer a consultation first that includes a referral if needed. See GP letter.
  3. Hospital type. Hospital group, charitable hospital, or diagnostic clinic. Compare the from-price, what it includes and the referral rule in the price table.
  4. Ask one hospital to contact you. Use the form. One partner hospital may call or email you. Nothing is booked until you agree a time and price with them. Keep your NHS appointment either way.

If you have been referred on a two-week wait, keep that appointment.

Request a private colonoscopy

This is a request, not a booking. We are not a clinic and not the NHS.

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A partner hospital may call or email you. We may be paid for the introduction. This is not a confirmed appointment and not a diagnosis.

Should I keep my NHS appointment after a positive FIT?

Yes. Keep it. If your bowel screening letter says “further tests needed”, the NHS invites you to an appointment with a specialist nurse to talk about the result and what happens next. A private colonoscopy is an extra, paid route, not a replacement. Do not cancel the NHS appointment for a private one. Source: NHS website: Bowel cancer screening, opened 7 October 2026.

What does a positive FIT result mean?

The NHS website says a “further tests needed” result means blood was found in your poo sample and needs to be investigated. The screening programme's leaflet says several things can cause blood in poo. We cannot interpret your result. The specialist nurse or your GP can. Sources: NHS website and Your guide to NHS bowel cancer screening, both opened 7 October 2026.

What FIT level counts as positive in England?

NHS England said on 26 January 2026 that it would lower the level of blood that triggers further tests from 120 to 80 micrograms of blood per gram of poo, starting the following month, with roll-out across England by March 2028. During the roll-out, not every service uses the new level yet. NHS England estimated that around 2 in 100 people who take part needed further testing before the change, rising to about 3 in 100 once it is in place. Your result letter tells you what happens next. Source: NHS England, 26 January 2026, opened 7 October 2026.

Can I have a private colonoscopy instead of the NHS one?

Not instead. A private colonoscopy is a separate, paid option you can choose as well as the NHS route. It does not replace the screening appointment or an urgent NHS referral. Ask the specialist nurse or your GP how a private test would fit with your NHS care, and tell them if you go ahead.

How much is a private colonoscopy?

On pages we opened on 3 October 2026, prices ran from £1,600 (hospital fees only) to a £3,635 guide price. Polyp removal, histology, sedation and the consultant fee are often extra. Ask for a written quote. Every row and source is on private colonoscopy cost.

Do I need a GP letter for a private colonoscopy?

Usually. Most hospitals that state a rule want a GP or specialist letter. If you are insured, ask your insurer before you book. See GP letter.

Does the form book a colonoscopy?

No. The form asks one partner hospital to contact you. It is not a confirmed appointment and not a diagnosis, and no slot is held. It does not change your NHS appointment. If no partner covers your postcode, the thank-you page says so.

What else do people ask?

Where does this page get its facts?

Want to pay for a private colonoscopy as well as keeping your NHS appointment? Request a private colonoscopy. Free for you; the hospital may pay us.