Patient guide · Upper GI endoscopy
Gastroscopy (OGD), the practical patient guide — what to expect, sedation choices and results.
This practical patient guide to gastroscopy (OGD — oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy) walks you through what to expect: preparation, sedation choices (throat spray, conscious sedation, deep sedation), the procedure itself, and how quickly you will get results.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A calm, unhurried scope
Consultant gastroenterologists in accredited endoscopy units — with a plan you can act on before you leave.
- 02
A same-day report
Findings are discussed straight after the procedure, with the written report to follow.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Key facts
Gastroscopy (OGD), at a glance.
The six facts most patients want up front — what the test is, how long it takes, and how you will feel it.
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What it is
Endoscopic exam of oesophagus, stomach and duodenum
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How long
10–15 minutes
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Comfort
Throat spray or sedation — your choice
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Preparation
Fast 6 hours before
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Biopsies
Painless while the scope is in place
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Report
Same-day, written report available
Preparation
From referral to discharge — what happens, in order.
Seven steps from your referral and consent through to walking out with a written report.
Phase 1 · Before
Referral, consent, fasting
Phase 2 · On the day
~10–15 minutes at the endoscopy unit
Phase 3 · After
Report and plan
- 01
Before
Referral and consent
A short conversation about symptoms, medications and blood thinners; written consent for scope and biopsies.
- 02
Before
Fast 6 hours
Nothing to eat for 6 hours; clear fluids up to 2 hours before, unless told otherwise.
- 03
On the day
Attend the endoscopy unit
Bring a chaperone if you are having sedation — you must not drive for 24 hours afterwards.
- 04
On the day
Sedation or throat spray discussed
Throat spray keeps you fully alert; conscious sedation makes it hazy; deep sedation puts you under briefly.
- 05
On the day
Scope passed trans-orally
A thin flexible camera through the mouth into the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum — usually 10–15 minutes.
- 06
On the day
Biopsies as required
Painless tissue samples for coeliac, H. pylori, Barrett’s and any focal lesion.
- 07
After
Discharge with written report
You will be told the findings straight after, with a written report and clear onward plan.
Time in the unit: 2–3 hours including recovery. Scope itself: 10–15 minutes.
What it shows
When a gastroscopy is the right test.
OGD is direct visualisation plus biopsy — the definitive test for reflux, ulcer disease, coeliac and upper GI malignancy.
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Oesophagitis / Barrett’s
Reflux-related inflammation and the metaplastic change that raises long-term cancer risk.
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Hiatus hernia
Displacement of the stomach through the diaphragm — commonly linked to reflux.
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Peptic ulcer disease
Gastric or duodenal ulcers, with biopsy for H. pylori and to exclude malignancy.
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Gastritis + H. pylori
Diffuse inflammation and testing for the bacterium that drives most ulcer disease.
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Coeliac disease
Duodenal biopsies confirm villous atrophy in patients with positive coeliac serology.
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Eosinophilic oesophagitis
A cause of dysphagia and food bolus obstruction — confirmed on oesophageal biopsy.
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Gastric or oesophageal cancer
Direct visualisation and biopsy — the definitive diagnostic step.
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Red flag: mass or high-grade lesion — 2-week-wait upper GI pathway
A suspicious lesion triggers an urgent oncology referral, not a private wait.
Next steps
What happens after a gastroscopy.
The eight most common pathways — from a simple PPI course to an upper GI oncology MDT — and where each fits.
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PPI therapy
Proton pump inhibitors for reflux, oesophagitis and healing of peptic ulcers.
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H. pylori eradication
Triple therapy — a PPI with two antibiotics, typically for 7–14 days.
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Coeliac referral and gluten-free diet
Confirmed coeliac disease is managed by a specialist dietitian with lifelong dietary change.
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Endoscopic anti-reflux therapy
Options such as TIF or Stretta for suitable patients with troublesome reflux.
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Fundoplication / LINX for refractory GORD
Surgical or magnetic-ring options when medical therapy fails and reflux is confirmed.
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Barrett’s surveillance
Scheduled endoscopic surveillance with biopsies, per BSG dysplasia guidance.
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Upper GI oncology MDT
A confirmed cancer is discussed at a specialist multidisciplinary team for staging and treatment.
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Structured follow-up
A clear plan — repeat scope, symptom review or discharge — communicated to you and your GP.
Our vetted London network
A small panel of endoscopy units, we picked them.
JAG-accredited endoscopy units across London. Not listed publicly — introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every endoscopy unit in our network.
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JAG-accredited endoscopy units
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Consultant gastroenterologists — with sedation and throat-spray options
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Same-day written report, with images available for onward review
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Direct onward pathway to upper GI oncology or bariatric surgery if needed
Red flags
When gastroscopy is urgent, not elective.
Nine presentations that change the tempo — where a rapid scope, and often the 2-week-wait upper GI pathway, is the right call.
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Suspicious upper GI mass
A visible mass or ulcer with suspicious features triggers the 2-week-wait upper GI pathway.
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Iron deficiency anaemia
Unexplained IDA is a NICE indication for OGD — occult upper GI blood loss must be excluded.
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Weight loss
Unintentional weight loss with GI symptoms is a red flag for upper GI malignancy.
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Persistent dysphagia
Difficulty swallowing that does not settle warrants urgent endoscopic assessment.
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Barrett’s with dysplasia
Low- or high-grade dysplasia changes the surveillance and treatment plan — endoscopic therapy may be indicated.
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Refractory reflux
Reflux failing high-dose PPI needs endoscopy plus consideration of pH studies and surgical opinion.
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Bleeding varices
Known or suspected varices need urgent endoscopy and specialist hepatology input.
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Peptic ulcer with bleed
An actively bleeding or high-risk ulcer needs urgent endoscopic haemostasis.
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Gastric outlet obstruction
Vomiting, early satiety and weight loss with a distended stomach — urgent scope and imaging required.
Reading your report
An OGD report can look intimidating. It isn’t.
Whatever the finding, the report keeps to the same four parts.
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.
- 01 Header
Indication and consent
Your details, the reason for the scope, medications and the sedation used.
- 02 Technique
Scope, sedation and extent examined
Which scope was used, the sedation dose, and the extent reached — second part of the duodenum in a complete OGD.
- 03 Findings
Oesophagus, stomach, duodenum — vessel-by-vessel
A structured description of each anatomical segment, with any lesion, biopsy site and photograph reference.
- 04 Impression
The conclusion: read this first
Normal, benign findings, or abnormal — plus the concrete next step: PPI, repeat scope, MDT referral.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover depends on your policy and clinic; we confirm with your insurer before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about gastroscopy.
Quick answers on sedation, fasting, results, biopsies and when a follow-up scope is needed.
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What is a gastroscopy (OGD)?
Gastroscopy — also called OGD, oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy or upper GI endoscopy — is a 10–15 minute test in which a thin flexible camera is passed through the mouth to examine the oesophagus, stomach and first part of the small bowel (duodenum). Biopsies are painless and taken through the scope.
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Do I need sedation, or is throat spray enough?
Throat spray keeps you fully alert and is enough for many patients — you can drive home. Conscious sedation makes the procedure hazy and more comfortable but you cannot drive for 24 hours. Deep sedation, given by an anaesthetist, puts you under briefly. The choice is yours, discussed on the day.
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How long do I need to fast before an OGD?
Six hours with nothing to eat, and typically clear fluids up to two hours before, unless your endoscopy unit tells you otherwise. Diabetic and anticoagulant medication is planned in advance — check your pre-procedure letter.
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How quickly will I get results?
The endoscopist tells you the visual findings straight after the procedure, with a written report available the same day. Biopsy histology takes 5–10 working days and is sent to you and your GP.
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Are biopsies safe and painful?
Biopsies are safe and painless — the lining of the upper GI tract has no fine touch sensation, so you feel nothing when tissue samples are taken. Bleeding is rare and self-limiting.
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When would a follow-up gastroscopy or further test be needed?
A repeat scope is arranged for Barrett’s surveillance, healing checks of gastric ulcers, and to reassess reflux or dysphagia not settling on treatment. Bravo pH studies, oesophageal manometry or cross-sectional imaging may follow depending on the findings.
Sources
The guidance behind this page.
Reviewed 2026-07-30 · Next review 2027-07-30 · Reviewed by Pulse Atlas Editorial Board, .
- British Society of Gastroenterology. Endoscopy guidelines and quality standards.
- NICE. Dyspepsia and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in adults (CG184).
- European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE). Clinical guidelines.
- American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE). Standards of practice.
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In practice, in London
Booking gastroscopy ogd privately in London — what actually happens
With gastroscopy ogd, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it — not whether the scan is available. On the NHS, gastroscopy ogd typically sits behind a triage step and a wait that can stretch from a few weeks into months. In London’s private sector, the same appointment often lands within days. That speed matters when symptoms are disrupting work, sleep, or a plan you’d already committed to — and it’s the single most common reason people call us in the first place.
A typical private booking for gastroscopy ogd in London starts with a consultant conversation — sometimes in person on Harley Street or Marylebone, sometimes on video if that suits better. Any imaging or diagnostics happen at a nearby CQC-registered facility, and reports usually land within 24 to 72 hours. The whole loop, from first call to written report, is often done inside a fortnight. For gastroscopy ogd specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.
Honesty about expectations is part of the job. A private gastroscopy ogd appointment in London won’t change the underlying medicine — the guidelines, the consultants, and the equipment are largely the same as on the NHS. What it changes is speed, continuity, and the amount of time you get to actually talk through the findings. Everyone we route to is GMC-registered and works within CQC-regulated facilities.