What is included in a private colonoscopy price?
Last reviewed 3 October 2026 by Pete, editor (not a clinician). Prices and NHS figures checked 3 October 2026.
On 3 October 2026, Vista Health's £1,700 included histology, not its £225 consultation; St John & St Elizabeth's £1,600 was hospital charges only. Polyp removal, histology, sedation and consultant fees are often extra. Most hospitals stating a rule want a GP letter. NHS England DM01, July 2026: 30.8% of people waiting for a colonoscopy had waited six weeks or more.
- England
- Independent
- Not a clinic
- Not the NHS
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What each published colonoscopy price includes, checked 3 October 2026
| Provider type | From-price | What the price includes | Referral rule | Source | Date checked |
|---|
| Diagnostic clinic: Vista Health, Bristol | £1,700 + £225 consultation | Biopsy/polyp and histology, procedure report, biopsy results, same-day follow-up. Consultation (£225) is separate. | Self-referral for a consultation; referral included if needed. | vista-health.co.uk | 3 October 2026 |
| Charitable independent hospital: St John & St Elizabeth Hospital, London NW8 | from £1,600 (diagnostic), £1,650 (therapeutic) | Hospital charges only. Excludes consultation fees, diagnostic tests, and surgeon and anaesthetist fees. | Not stated on the price page. | hje.org.uk | 3 October 2026 |
| Independent hospital: One Stop Healthcare, Hemel Hempstead | £1,634 hospital fee guide | Hospital fee, histology, drugs, pre-admission tests. Excludes consultant and anaesthetist fees, initial and post-op consultations. | Page says the first step is a GP referral. | onestophospital.co.uk | 3 October 2026 |
| Hospital group: Circle Health Group, England-wide guide | from around £2,158 | Group guide price. Fixed-price packages exclude the initial consultation fee (from around £200, the page says). | Not stated on this page. | circlehealthgroup.co.uk | 3 October 2026 |
| Hospital group: Spire St Anthony's Hospital, Cheam, Sutton | from £2,558 (£225 consultation + from £2,333) | Consultation, pre-assessment, treatment, consultant and anaesthetist fees, aftercare. Can rise with consultant, anaesthetic or medical history. | Not stated on the price page. | spirehealthcare.com | 3 October 2026 |
| Hospital group: Nuffield Health Leicester Hospital, Leicester | £3,180 guide (consultation from £200 + £2,980) | Consultation, pre-assessment, main treatment, post-discharge care. Final price may vary with consultant fees, drugs or medical history. | GP referral letter needed, the page says. | nuffieldhealth.com | 3 October 2026 |
| Specialist outpatient centre: Welbeck, London W1G | from £2,195 | Not itemised on the page. | GP or gastroenterologist referral. Self-referral not accepted. | welbeck.com | 3 October 2026 |
Each row is the provider's own published figure, opened by Pete on 3 October 2026. Polyp removal, histology, sedation and the consultant fee are often extra unless the row says they are included. The hospital's written quote is what counts. We delete any row we cannot re-check. A listed provider is not necessarily a partner of ours. Every source is on Sources.
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 tell you whether a colonoscopy is right for you.
Worried about bowel symptoms? Contact a GP, and call 999 or go to A&E for heavy bleeding, black stools with collapse, or severe pain.
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.
What we can do: explain the price, the referral rule and the hospital types in plain English. If you ask, we pass your request to one independent hospital or clinic that covers your area so it can contact you. That is free for you. The hospital may pay us a fee.
Four steps to a private colonoscopy
- 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.
- 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.
- Hospital type. Hospital group, charitable hospital, or diagnostic clinic. Compare the from-price, what it includes and the referral rule in the price table.
- 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.
Does a private colonoscopy price include the consultant's fee?
Sometimes. Spire's prices include the consultant's and anaesthetist's fees. One Stop Healthcare's hospital package and St John & St Elizabeth's guide price exclude them.
It can be. Vista Health and One Stop Healthcare listed histology as included on 3 October 2026. St John & St Elizabeth's guide price excludes diagnostic tests.
Is polyp removal included in a private colonoscopy?
Sometimes. Vista Health's £1,700 includes it. St John & St Elizabeth lists £1,650 for a therapeutic colonoscopy against £1,600 for a diagnostic one. Ask before you pay.
Can I have a colonoscopy without sedation?
Welbeck says you can, if you prefer. Ask the hospital what it offers and whether the price changes.
Can I drive home after a colonoscopy?
Not if you have had sedation. Nuffield Health says it is not safe to drive for at least 24 hours after sedation, and you need someone to take you home.
What can a colonoscopy price cover?
A full price can cover up to eight things. Few pages list them all.
- A first consultation with a specialist.
- A pre-assessment.
- The bowel preparation (laxative) you take at home.
- The colonoscopy itself, and the room and nursing.
- Sedation or pain relief.
- Polyp removal or a biopsy, if needed during the test.
- Histology: the lab test on any tissue taken.
- A report and a follow-up to explain the results.
Is polyp removal included?
Sometimes. Vista Health's £1,700 price includes biopsy or polyp removal and histology. Nuffield Health's pages say polyps can be removed and biopsies taken during the same test. St John & St Elizabeth lists a higher price for a therapeutic colonoscopy (£1,650) than a diagnostic one (£1,600). Ask whether your quote covers polyp removal, and what it costs if not.
Is histology included?
Not always. Vista Health and One Stop Healthcare's hospital package both list histology as included. St John & St Elizabeth's guide price excludes diagnostic tests. If tissue is taken, ask who pays the lab and when you get the result.
Are the consultant's and anaesthetist's fees included?
At Spire, yes: its treatment price includes the consultant's and anaesthetist's fees, nursing, medication and aftercare. One Stop Healthcare's hospital package and St John & St Elizabeth's guide price exclude them. Circle Reading Hospital says its final price may vary with the consultant and anaesthetist.
Is sedation included?
Ask. Nuffield Health says most of its colonoscopies are done with IV sedation. Vista Health says you may be offered gas and air or a sedative. Welbeck says you can have the test without sedation if you prefer.
If you are sedated, you need someone to take you home. Nuffield Health says it is not safe to drive for at least 24 hours after sedation.
What should I ask before I pay?
- Is this a fixed price, and what exactly does it include?
- Is the first consultation extra?
- Are sedation, polyp removal and histology included?
- Who are the consultant and the anaesthetist, and are their fees included?
- Who explains the results, and does that cost extra?
- Do you need a GP letter? See GP letter.
Want one hospital to contact you? Request a private colonoscopy. Free for you; the hospital may pay us.