How much does private medical treatment cost in the UK?

In this guide to private hospital prices, we detail the average cost of many of the most common operations in the UK to help you better understand how much treatment costs.

What is the difference between private surgery and NHS treatment?

There are several differences between having surgery in a private hospital versus the NHS. In short, they are:

You have to pay for private treatment.
Waiting times are usually much shorter in private hospitals.
You will be given a private room while you are in the private hospital.
Private healthcare gives you more choice about who, where and when your medical procedures will take place.

If you had private health insurance before you developed symptoms or were diagnosed with a medical condition, then yes, you could claim. Your insurance company will pay for your surgery at a private hospital, assuming you have the appropriate levels of coverage.

If you do not have health insurance and are currently waiting for treatment or stuck on a waiting list, you cannot take out a private health insurance policy and have it pay for your treatment. Pre-existing conditions, usually those you’ve experienced in the past five years, will be excluded, so health insurance won’t be very helpful for your current condition.

Graphic of a woman in a hospital bed with a caption "Private Hospital Pricelist - How much do private surgeries cost in the UK"

How much does private surgery cost in the UK?

In August 2024, our team of private health researchers obtained prices from 35 leading private hospitals across the UK for the 27 most common surgical procedures. All of those in the sample offered surgery at a fixed price, which includes your initial consultation, hospital stay, minimal consultant fees and anesthetist fees.

Price list of private hospitals for 2024 (average price of treatment)

The table below shows the average cost of some of the most common private medical treatments in the UK.

Private treatment	Average price ▲
Abdominal hysterectomy	8601 pounds
ACL reconstruction	7671 pounds
Adult circumcision	2595 pounds
Ankle arthroscopy	5821 pounds
Breast augmentation	6534 pounds
Breast reduction	7904 pounds
Bunch surgery	5260 pounds
Carpal tunnel release	2427 pounds
Cataract surgery	2953 pounds
Colonoscopy	2421 pounds
Attaching the ears (both ears)	4296 pounds
Gallbladder removal	6696 pounds
Gastroscopy	1942 pounds
Hernia repair	3870 pounds
Hip replacement	14,412 pounds
Knee arthroscopy	4492 pounds
Knee replacement	15,138 pounds
Liposuction (complex)	4997 pounds
Lumbar decompression	9769 pounds
Prostate resection	7371 pounds
Vaginal prolapse repair	6296 pounds
Shoulder replacement	£13,669
Sliding disk removal	8613 pounds
Tonsillectomy	3130 pounds
Tummy	8103 pounds
Removal of varicose veins (one leg)	3489 pounds
Vasectomy reversal	3551 pounds
Wisdom tooth removal	2563 pounds

Source: myTribe 2024 Private Surgery Research

As you can see, treatment prices vary greatly depending on the complexity of the procedure. You’ll also find significant price variations between providers and in different parts of the country.

What affects the price of private treatment?

The cost of private healthcare in the UK is based on several factors, including the treatment, the location of your private hospital and consultant fees. This section details many of the elements that will affect your private treatment costs.

The location of a private hospital will be a significant factor in the cost of treatment. Although this may seem strange at first, many other costs, such as rent and even staff costs, will be higher in certain locations in the UK. For example, you can expect to pay at least 10-20% more for private medical treatments in London.

As you would expect, the actual treatment required will play a significant role in determining the price. For example, wisdom tooth extraction is usually far simpler than full hip replacement surgery.

Private healthcare providers are constantly investing in new equipment, and the cost of that equipment increases over time. To be a leading provider, you need the latest equipment and the ability to offer superior treatments.

Similar to equipment, private hospitals need to purchase drugs, and the cost of some of the latest developments will be expensive. Medicines play a key role in treatment and recovery, so the private healthcare system needs access to the best available.

As consultants gain experience, their prices will increase. There will be a “going rate” for each type of specialist, and if there is a shortage of a particular skill set, the cost will increase.

Staff in private hospitals, from nurses to cleaners, must be paid, and again, these costs rise over time with inflation.

Office space rental, business prices and utilities:

Hospitals often have large buildings in prominent locations in cities, and costs are high. The closer you are to London, the more expensive the property, which is one of the reasons why treatment in the capital is more expensive.

Providing medical treatment as a service comes with significant risk, so you can be sure that hospitals will have expensive insurance policies to give them some protection if problems arise.

Modern businesses rely heavily on computers, mobile phones and other technology; private hospitals are no different.

While some private healthcare providers are not for profit, others are profitable businesses that must generate shareholder value every year.

What is the typical procedure for private surgeries?

Depending on the medical procedure you need and the private hospital you choose, the procedure is likely to vary. However, generally speaking, you can expect the following:

Make an appointment. You do not always need a referral from a general practitioner, and you can often refer yourself by contacting a private hospital.
Initial consultation. Choose a surgeon and go to the first consultation. If necessary, they will arrange further searches or scans.
Schedule surgery. Once you and your consultant have agreed on your treatment, you will be booked in for surgery at a time and date that suits you.
Pay for your treatment. In most cases, you will have to pay for your medical procedure before it is performed.
Prepare for surgery. Consider arranging travel to and from the hospital and undergo pre-admission testing.
Have your own private medical treatment. Your surgeon or consultant will carry out your treatment and you will spend as much time as necessary in hospital.
Aftercare. Some private hospitals will include follow-up care in the price of your treatment, but be sure to check to be aware of any additional fees.

What is Fixed Price Surgery?

Many private hospitals offer fixed prices for operations that usually cover the cost of hospital admission, consultant and anesthetist fees, medical equipment and drugs, and care and follow-up care. However, each hospital will include different things in their fixed price surgery, so when choosing where to receive your treatment and comparing prices, pay close attention to what is included.

How to get more information about private treatment costs

The best way to get information about the cost of private medical treatments is to visit the websites of private hospitals and get in touch with them. While there are many independent private hospitals in the UK, some of which we looked at to get our average prices, a few of the larger private healthcare groups might be a good starting point.

The best private healthcare providers in the UK:

Read more about the best private hospital groups in this guide.

health insurance provider

Private health insurance providers also allow people to pay for treatments themselves through them, so you can discuss your treatment with them if you wish.

How can you pay for private surgeries and treatments?

There are several ways you can pay for private treatment in the UK:

Private health insurance

Private health insurance covers the cost of private treatment for eligible conditions in exchange for paying a monthly premium. Private health insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions, so if you are currently suffering from something and looking for solutions, private health insurance will not be it.

Related Guide: What is private health insurance?

Self payment

As the name suggests, you finance your private medical treatments through self-payment. Unfortunately, given the current NHS waiting lists, many people feel the need to save or invite friends and family to get treatment as soon as possible.

Medical loan

Finally, if you don’t have health insurance or the funds to pay for your treatment right away, you can look for a medical loan. All private hospitals cooperate with credit intermediaries and offer you the possibility of distributing the costs of your treatment with a medical loan.

Source link