Private hip MRI in Brighton: cost, referral, how soon (2026)

• Price is per single body area. Contrast, if needed, is £125 extra.

Each figure is the centre's own published price, checked 5 October 2026; the quote a centre gives you for Brighton is what counts. Listed does not mean partner. See Sources.

Where can I get a private hip MRI in Brighton?

Brighton has a private hospital on the east side of the city, a dedicated scanning site at Brighton Marina, and further options across Sussex. Vista Health also listed Eastbourne on 5 October 2026, which may suit people east of the city.

Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital, in the BN2 postcode on the east side of Brighton, published a one-part guide price of £590 on 5 October 2026, with a referral needed and results to your referrer within a week. Vista Health's Brighton Marina site, also BN2, charges its national prices. Spire Healthcare's hospital list includes Spire Gatwick Park Hospital, north of Crawley, which some people in mid Sussex use; Spire did not publish an MRI price for it that we could verify.

Vista Health's own location list, checked 5 October 2026, includes these sites for the Brighton area: Brighton Marina. Its prices are national, so the table row applies to each of them; check that the site you pick offers a hip scan on the day you want.

Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital publishes a one-part MRI guide price of £590 and says you need a referral from a healthcare professional; it gives a firm price once that referral has been reviewed.

Can I book a private hip MRI in Brighton without a GP?

Yes, at centres that accept self-referral. Vista Health offers adult self-referral for hip scans after a questionnaire, at the same price at its sites near Brighton. Hospital groups usually ask for a referral from a GP, consultant or registered physiotherapist. For typical age-related hip arthritis, an X-ray is often the first test and NICE guidance says the condition can often be diagnosed without imaging, so ask whether an MRI is the right test. See self-referral.

For a hip in Brighton, ask whether one hip or the pelvis will be imaged. People in mid Sussex sometimes use Spire Gatwick Park, which did not publish a price we could verify.

How long is the NHS wait for an MRI in Brighton?

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust runs the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and other hospitals across Sussex. NHS England's diagnostics waiting times data for July 2026 (DM01, published 10 September 2026) show that 21.4% of people waiting for an MRI had already waited six weeks or more. That is the England figure; the trust's own figure is in NHS England's monthly provider data.

How do I get to a scanning centre in or near Brighton?

Brighton's hills, narrow streets and paid parking make travel time worth checking. Brighton Marina has a large car park and regular buses from the city centre. The east-side hospital site is reached by road from Kemp Town or Woodingdean. If you live in Hove, Worthing or mid Sussex, compare travel times to sites to the north or west before choosing.

If you live in Hove or Portslade, the Marina is at the opposite end of the seafront, so allow time for traffic along the coast road. People in Lewes, Worthing or the Weald may find a site outside the city easier to reach; compare travel time as well as price before you choose.

Can I have a hip MRI in Brighton if I have a hip replacement?

A metal hip replacement distorts the images close to it, and the centre must check the implant first. Some centres use special sequences to reduce the distortion; others will suggest a different test. If you need the other hip or the lower back scanned, a replacement usually does not stop that. Bring the implant details, or the hospital and date of the operation, when you book.

Will a Brighton centre scan one hip or both?

Ask. Some centres image the whole pelvis, which shows both hips, and price it as one area; others scan one hip at a time. If your pain is in the groin, the buttock or the outside of the hip, say so when you book so the radiographer covers the right area. A metal hip replacement affects both the safety check and the images; tell the centre about it first.

Is groin pain a reason for a hip MRI in Brighton?

Sometimes. Groin pain can come from the hip joint, the labrum, the tendons around the groin, a hernia or the lower back. A physio or GP examination narrows that down and decides whether an MRI of the hip, an ultrasound of the groin or a lower back scan is the right test. In younger, active people, an MRI or MR arthrogram is often used to look for a labral tear or impingement. Tell the Brighton centre exactly where the pain is, so the scan covers the right area.

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