Ms King was told the private MRI scan would cost �983

King's College Hospital told Rachel King she could wait or get the scan privately at the hospital in two weeks.

It accepted waiting times were unacceptable but said extra funding would lead to "substantial progress".

The hospital revealed accident victim Ms King, 32, from Kent, would receive the scan on the NHS in September.

Nick Mobberley, from the hospital, said waiting times were coming down.

He said: "We have to operate with the funding we are provided with and we are making best use of that to try to get through the backlog.

"I am delighted to say that because we have received additional funding for extended operating hours, we will be able to make substantial progress on the overall waits."

Ms King told the Times newspaper she was appalled when she received the original letter, saying: "It's insulting. I was distraught."

In a statement King's College Hospital said it would expand its services with the aim of getting waiting times down to 26 weeks by next March.

No hospital should make patients feel pressured into pursuing private treatment Lord Warner, health minister

It added that patients identified as clinically urgent were seen sooner, and that a note given to Ms King included the phone number for private scans because she had discussed that option with her consultant.

A letter informing her of the delay included a handwritten footnote which said that "if you want to go privately" a certain telephone number could be called.

Ms King suffered head injuries, a broken collarbone, five broken ribs and a broken shoulder blade after a road accident in January.

'Hidden waits'

She was referred for an MRI scan after suffering dizzy spells and reduced vision.

When she called the number, which was for the hospital's own 'self pay' private clinic, she was told the scan would cost �983.

But after she received the standard letter Ms King's consultant had made an appointment for her to return in September. This would have automatically generated an appointment for her scan prior to the consultant date, said the hospital.

If Ms King had followed up the letter with a phone call she would have been told this, said the spokeswoman, or otherwise would have been informed of the date and time by letter in July or August.

'Not good enough'

Health minister Lord Warner told the paper the government wanted to ensure the NHS delivered the best possible treatment as quickly as possible.

"By 2008, no-one will wait longer than 18 weeks from GP appointment to treatment," he said.

But Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said the government talked of waiting times coming down but people were waiting far too long for diagnostics.

And Liberal Democrat health spokesman Steve Webb added: "To have to wait 80 weeks just to get a diagnosis before you end up on the official waiting list figures is just simply not good enough."