Colonoscopy with polyp removal cost in the UK: what you pay privately (2026)

A colonoscopy with polyp removal combines the diagnostic examination with removal of any polyps found, using wire snares or forceps, and is the standard way to prevent polyps becoming cancer or to follow up earlier polyps.

Hospital price pages give a first idea of scale. The colonoscopy with polyp removal entries we retrieved sat between £1,789 to £3,601; the rows below show which hospital and which variant each figure refers to.

None of these numbers is an offer to treat. Providers confirm a final price after assessment, and consultant or anaesthetist fees may be set separately.

The bowel preparation is the same as for a diagnostic colonoscopy. If a polyp is seen, a wire loop passes over it and cuts it free with or without electric current, and the piece is retrieved for the laboratory.

Ask what happens if a polyp is too large to remove, whether the price covers a repeat or referral, and what surveillance interval is likely if polyps are found.

A single guide figure for colonoscopy with polyp removal can mislead, because the final amount depends on factors like these.

• Number, size and type of polyps: larger or flat polyps take longer, may need clips or injection techniques and cost more.

• Hospital listings: Ramsay lists a colonoscopy with removal of tissue at £1,789 to £3,601 across the sites we retrieved.

• Pathology: each polyp goes to the lab and the report is billed separately at many providers.

• Sedation, monitoring and recovery time.

• Follow-up surveillance: polyp findings set the date of future colonoscopies, which is a recurring cost.

Providers define a package differently, so two quotes are only comparable once you line up what each covers. The table lists what is typically in and what is often billed separately for this procedure.

Insurers usually cover polyp removal as part of a medically necessary colonoscopy, but check authorisation of pathology fees and any follow-up surveillance plan.

Insurers often agree a procedure code and a fee ceiling in advance. Self-pay patients should ask whether instalment finance is offered and what the total repayable would be, as the representative rate and terms differ by lender.

NHS colonoscopy includes polyp removal when needed, with surveillance intervals set by national guidance. The test is free at the point of use.

NHS care is free at the point of use, and for non-urgent consultant-led treatment the standard is 18 weeks from referral. You also have the right to choose where you are referred in England. Local waits differ, so ask what applies near you.

Rest on the day, avoid heavy lifting for a few days if advised and watch for bleeding. Aspirin, anticoagulants and other medicines may need to be paused beforehand and restarted by instruction.

No one plans for things to go wrong, but a short conversation about extra costs now can save difficulty later.

• Bleeding after polyp removal can happen up to a couple of weeks later and sometimes needs admission; you need a plan for who to contact and whether treatment is covered.

• A very large polyp may not be removable in one sitting and may need referral for specialist endoscopic or surgical treatment, which is a different price.

Quotes only compare fairly when they cover the same things. Put these questions to every provider you approach.

• Does the quote include removing any polyps found?

• How are pathology and clips for large polyps charged?

• Which medicines must I stop beforehand?

• What follow-up and surveillance is likely?

• Will I receive one price covering the hospital, the consultant and the anaesthetic, or several bills from different parties?