Skip to main content

Otolaryngology · London

ENT assessment, consultant otolaryngology review with same-day audiology and flexi endoscopy.

A structured ENT assessment combines consultant otolaryngology examination with same-day audiology, tympanometry, flexi-nasal endoscopy, allergy testing and imaging as needed. First-line for hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness, chronic sinusitis, hoarseness and neck lumps.

A consultant otolaryngologist performing an ENT assessment in a private London clinic

Key facts

  • Definition

    Consultant ENT review with same-day objective tests

  • Bundled with

    Audiology and tympanometry as standard

  • Flexi-nasal endoscopy

    Nose, sinus and larynx visualisation

  • Vertigo battery

    Dix-Hallpike and vHIT when indicated

  • Same-day imaging

    CBCT and MRI at network sites

  • Outcome

    Structured plan and onward referral

Indicative pricing

What a private ENT assessment costs in London.

Indicative ranges across UK private providers.

In short

A full ENT bundle with audiology and endoscopy: £520–£850, with the consultant plan the same day.

Assessment Indicative range
Consultant ENT review (30 min) £220–£320
Consultation + audiology + tympanometry £320–£520
Consultation + flexi-nasal endoscopy £380–£600
Full ENT bundle (consult + audiology + endoscopy) £520–£850
Vertigo battery (Dix-Hallpike, vHIT + consult) £450–£800
ENT bundle + CBCT sinuses or MRI IAM £800–£1,400

Prices vary by clinic, whether flexi-nasal endoscopy is included, and whether same-day imaging is added.

The problem

An ENT assessment is only as good as who does it.

The consultant, the audiologist and the scope all matter. We route you to a consultant otolaryngologist with same-day audiology and endoscopy - not a generalist and a return visit.

  • Hearing loss or tinnitus?

    Same-visit audiometry and tympanometry with a consultant plan.

  • Vertigo or dizziness?

    Vestibular battery - Dix-Hallpike and vHIT - with a targeted diagnosis.

  • Sinus, voice or neck lump?

    Flexi-nasal endoscopy at the same visit, with imaging if needed.

What it shows

When a private ENT assessment is the right first step.

A structured consultant ENT review with same-day objective tests answers most ear, nose, throat, balance and voice problems in one visit.

  • Otitis media / eustachian tube dysfunction

    Persistent ear pressure, fluid or infection - otoscopy plus tympanometry quantify the middle ear.

  • Sensorineural or conductive hearing loss

    Audiometry distinguishes conductive from sensorineural loss and grades severity.

  • Tinnitus workup baseline

    Structured audiological assessment and consultant review - the first-line workup for new tinnitus.

  • Vertigo - BPPV, Ménière’s, vestibular migraine

    Dix-Hallpike, head-impulse and vHIT to distinguish peripheral from central causes.

  • Chronic rhinosinusitis

    Endoscopy of the nose and sinuses with a plan for medical or surgical management.

  • Nasal polyps

    Endoscopy grades polyps and directs topical, biologic or surgical treatment.

  • Laryngeal / voice disorders and neck lumps

    Flexi-laryngoscopy of the vocal cords plus structured neck examination.

  • Red flag: asymmetric SNHL, hoarseness > 3 weeks, neck lump - 2-week-wait ENT cancer pathway

    Do not wait for a private slot alone - we route in parallel to the NHS 2-week-wait pathway.

Treatment and next steps

What can follow an ENT assessment.

The written plan sets out which of these onward pathways applies to you, if any.

  • Hearing aid trial

    Structured trial and fitting when audiometry confirms aidable hearing loss.

  • Middle-ear surgery (grommets, myringoplasty)

    For persistent effusion, retraction or perforation not responding to medical care.

  • Cochlear implant assessment

    Referral for candidacy assessment in severe-to-profound sensorineural loss.

  • Sinus surgery (FESS)

    Functional endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis with or without polyps.

  • Vestibular rehabilitation

    Structured physiotherapy programme for peripheral vestibular disorders.

  • Botulinum for spasmodic dysphonia

    Targeted laryngeal injections for a specific voice disorder, in a specialist voice clinic.

  • Head and neck MDT for cancer

    Rapid onward referral into a head-and-neck multidisciplinary team where malignancy is suspected.

  • Structured ENT follow-up

    Interval consultant review with repeat audiology or endoscopy to track response to treatment.

Safety and eligibility

A safe assessment - with practical caveats.

Audiometry, tympanometry and flexi-nasal endoscopy are all safe office procedures. The important points are when a private slot is right and when A&E is right, and where the assessment’s limits are.

  • Flexi-nasal endoscopy is well tolerated

    A thin flexible scope through the nose with topical local anaesthetic - most patients rate it as mildly uncomfortable at worst.

  • Audiometry is painless

    You wear headphones in a sound-treated booth and press a button when you hear the tone.

  • Tympanometry is a two-second test

    A soft probe seals in the ear canal and briefly changes pressure to measure eardrum movement.

  • Dix-Hallpike may briefly provoke vertigo

    That is the point - provoking BPPV confirms it. Symptoms settle within seconds.

  • Bring hearing aids, prior audiograms, scans

    Comparison against previous audiometry or imaging materially sharpens the plan.

  • A normal endoscopy is not a full clear

    Endoscopy sees mucosal surfaces - deeper disease may still need CBCT or MRI.

  • Suspected cancer - parallel NHS pathway

    For red flags we route in parallel to the NHS 2-week-wait ENT cancer pathway.

Red flags

Symptoms that need urgent ENT review - do not wait.

  • Asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss
  • Sudden sensorineural hearing loss
  • Persistent hoarseness beyond three weeks
  • Neck lump present beyond three weeks
  • Persistent unilateral nasal obstruction
  • Blood-stained nasal discharge
  • Facial numbness
  • Cranial-nerve palsy
  • Recurrent nose bleeds with anticoagulation

Reading your report

An ENT report can look intimidating. It isn’t.

Whatever the finding, the report keeps to the same four parts.

A consultant otolaryngologist reviewing audiometry and endoscopy findings on a clinical workstation at a UK private clinic

A quiet reminder

The report is written for your doctor, not for you - and that’s normal.

If you would like us to talk you through it before your follow-up, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    History and presenting complaint

    Your details, the reason for the assessment, and the ENT history that shapes interpretation.

  2. 02 Examination

    Otoscopy, nasal, oral and neck findings

    What the consultant found on structured ear, nose, throat and neck examination.

  3. 03 Objective tests

    Audiometry, tympanometry, endoscopy

    Numerical audiometry, tympanogram type, plus endoscopic findings of nose, sinus and larynx.

  4. 04 Plan

    The plan: read this first

    Diagnosis or working diagnosis, immediate treatment, onward tests or referrals, and the follow-up interval.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about ENT assessment.

Quick answers on what’s included, how long it takes, whether endoscopy hurts, referral needs, and when to worry.

  • What does an ENT assessment include?

    A structured consultant otolaryngology review with same-day objective tests - audiometry, tympanometry, flexi-nasal endoscopy, plus vestibular testing, allergy testing or imaging (CBCT, MRI) as indicated. The output is a written plan with onward pathway.

  • How long does an ENT appointment take?

    A consultant review alone is 30 minutes. Add audiology and tympanometry and it becomes 45 minutes; the full bundle with flexi-nasal endoscopy is around 60 minutes.

  • Is flexi-nasal endoscopy painful?

    No - the scope is thin and flexible and topical local anaesthetic is used in the nose. Most patients rate it as mildly uncomfortable at worst, and it takes under two minutes.

  • Do I need a referral?

    Most clinics accept self-referral for a private ENT assessment.

  • When should I worry about a neck lump or hoarseness?

    Any neck lump present beyond three weeks, or hoarseness lasting more than three weeks, warrants urgent ENT review to exclude head-and-neck cancer. We route in parallel to the NHS 2-week-wait pathway.

  • How quickly will I get results?

    Findings are discussed at the appointment. The written consultant plan is typically sent within 24–48 hours, with any imaging report to follow.

Sources

Reviewed by Pulse Atlas Editorial Board, . Last reviewed 2026-07-30. Next review 2027-07-30. Reading time approx. 6 minutes.

Related tests

Looking for a different test?

In practice, in London

Why private ENT assessment moves differently in London

With ent assessment, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it - not whether the scan is available. The wait for ENT assessment on the NHS depends heavily on where you live and how urgently the referral is graded. Central and West London private clinics can normally book within a week, with imaging or a procedure slot to follow shortly after. It’s worth being honest about the reason for going private: usually it’s time, not a fundamentally different test.

In practice, a private ENT assessment appointment in London means a named consultant, a proper hour in the room (or the equivalent on a video call), and a report you can actually read. Most of the imaging suites and endoscopy units we use sit within a mile of Harley Street or in Chelsea and Fulham, and turnaround on findings is measured in days, not weeks. For ent assessment specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.

The value is knowing which consultant reads this particular presentation best, which unit turns reports around fastest, and which pathway won’t hit a dead end if the findings point somewhere unexpected.