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Private hospital price list - a guide to private medical treatment costs in the UK
By
Chris Steele
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In this guide to private hospital prices, we detail the average cost of many of the most common surgeries in the UK to help you better understand how much treatment costs.
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How much does treatment cost, and what are the waiting times?
If you're considering private surgery, the two inevitable questions are how much private medical treatment costs and what the waiting times are like.
In this guide, we focus on answering the first question about costs. However, to give you an idea of waiting times, there are private hospitals that can typically start your surgery in as little as 4-6 weeks.
There are several differences between having your surgery performed in a private hospital vs. via the NHS. In short, these are:
- You have to pay for private medical treatment.
- Waiting times are typically much shorter in private hospitals.
- You'll get a private room while you're in a private hospital.
- Private healthcare gives you more choice over who, where and when your medical procedures take place.
Can private health insurance pay for my treatment?
If you had private health insurance before experiencing symptoms or were diagnosed with a medical condition, then yes, you could claim. Your insurer will pay for your surgery in a private hospital, assuming you have the appropriate cover levels.
If you don't have health insurance and you're currently awaiting treatment or stuck on a waiting list, you can't take out a private health insurance policy and have it pay for your treatment. Pre-existing conditions, typically those you've experienced in the past five years, will be excluded, so health insurance will be of little help for your current condition.
In August 2024, our team of private healthcare researchers obtained pricing from 35 leading private hospitals around the UK for 27 of the most common surgical procedures. All of those sampled offered fixed-price surgery, which includes your initial consultation, hospital stay, consultant fees, and anaesthetist fees at a minimum.
2024 Private Hospital Price List (the average cost of treatment)
The table below shows the average cost of some of the UK's most common private medical treatments.
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 variation in prices between providers and in different parts of the country.
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Private healthcare costs in the UK are based upon several factors, including the treatment, the location of your private hospital and the consultant's rates. This section details many of the elements that will affect your private treatment cost.
Many private hospitals offer fixed-price surgery costs that typically cover the cost of hospital admission, consultant and anaesthetist fees, medical equipment and medicines, and nursing and aftercare. However, each hospital will include different things in its fixed-price surgery, so when choosing where to receive your treatment and comparing prices, pay close attention to what's included.
How to get more information about private medical treatment costs
The best way to get information about the cost of private medical treatments is to visit private hospitals' websites and get in touch with them. While there are many independent private hospitals in the UK, some of which we looked at to provide our average prices, several larger private healthcare groups might be a good starting point.
Top private healthcare providers in the UK:
- Circle Health Group (formerly BMI) - 53 hospitals across the UK
- HCA - 6 hospitals (5 in London and 1 in Manchester)
- Nuffield Health- 37 hospitals nationwide
- Practice Plus Group - 10 hospitals and surgical centres in England
- Ramsay Health - 33 hospitals across the UK
- Spire Healthcare - 39 hospitals across the UK
Read more about the top private hospital groups in this guide.
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Speak to a private medical insurance provider
Private health insurance providers also allow people to self-pay for treatments via them, so you could speak to them about your treatment if you would prefer.
There are several ways you can pay for private treatment in the UK:
Private medical insurance
Private medical insurance covers the cost of private treatment of eligible conditions in return for paying a monthly premium. Private health insurance doesn't cover pre-existing conditions, so if you are currently suffering from something and looking for solutions, private medical insurance won't be it.
Related guide: What is private health insurance?
Self-pay
As the name suggests, you fund your private medical treatments with self-pay. Unfortunately, given the current waiting lists on the NHS, many people feel the need to dip into savings or call upon friends and family to be treated sooner.
Medical loan
Finally, if you don't have health insurance or the funds to pay straightaway for your treatment, you could look for a medical loan. All of the private hospitals work with credit brokers and offer you the ability to spread the cost of your treatment with a medical loan.
In August 2024, myTribe's private healthcare researchers collected pricing for 27 common surgeries from 35 private hospitals around the UK. The pricing was for fixed-priced surgery, and the information was available on the hospitals' websites. Precisely what's included within each of the hospital's packages vary and the prices provided are averages and meant as examples only.
Sources:
Disclaimer: This information is general and what is best for you will depend on your personal circumstances. Please speak with a financial adviser or do your own research before making a decision.
This article was written by:
Chris Steele is myTribe’s trusted expert in private health insurance and healthcare, with over a decade of experience in the field. As the Founder and Editor of myTribe Insurance Experts, Chris is a Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) qualified professional with certifications in Insurance, Legal and Regulatory (IF1), Healthcare Insurance Products (IF7), and Insurance Broking Fundamentals (I10). Chris’s research and insights are regularly cited by national media, and he has contributed to leading consumer finance publications, simplifying complex topics to help consumers better understand private medical insurance. His expertise spans private health insurance, market analysis, and health insurance regulations, making him a respected voice in the UK insurance market.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to see a private medical consultant?
On average, it costs around £195 to see a private medical consultant. To learn more about consultation fees, please read our recent guide.
How much does a private hysterectomy cost?
The average cost of a private hysterectomy in the UK is £8,795 (December 2024).
However, prices vary significantly depending on where you live, with cities like London typically being more expensive.
How much does private knee replacement surgery cost?
The UK's average cost of private knee replacement surgery is £15,138 (October 2024).
Your location will affect the price you pay, so please contact local private healthcare providers for accurate pricing.
How much does private hip replacement surgery cost?
The average cost of private hip replacement surgery in the UK is currently £14,412 (October 2024).
The cost of private medical treatment varies depending on where you live and the consultant who performs your surgery, so please check with your local private health care providers.
How much does adult circumcision cost?
The average cost of adult circumcision is currently £2,595 - based on quotes from 35 private hospitals across the UK in October 2024.
How much does private carpel tunnel surgery cost?
The average cost of private carpel tunnel surgery in the UK is £2,427 (October 2024).
How much does private cataract surgery cost?
The average cost of private cataract surgery in the UK is £2,953 (September 2024).
How much does a private colonoscopy cost?
The average cost of a private colonoscopy in the UK is £2,421 (October 2024).
How much does private ear pinning surgery cost?
The average cost of private ear pinning surgery for both ears is £4,296 (October 2024).
How much does private gall bladder removal surgery cost?
On average, private gall bladder removal surgery costs £6,696 (October 2024).
How much does it cost for private bunion removal?
The average cost for bunion removal privately is £5,260 (October 2024).
How much does a tummy tuck cost?
The average cost of a tummy tuck in the UK is £7,615 (September 2024).
How much does a vasectomy cost?
Vasectomy reversal surgery costs £3,496 in the UK (August 2024).
How much does vasectomy reversal surgery cost?
Vasectomy reversal surgery costs £3,551 in the UK (October 2024).
How much does private shoulder replacement surgery cost?
The average cost for private shoulder replacement surgery in the UK is £13,669 (October 2024).
How much does a private tonsillectomy cost?
The average cost for a tonsillectomy privately is £3,130 (October 2024).
How much does it cost for private wisdom tooth removal?
Private removal of wisdom teeth costs an average of £2,563 in the UK (October 2024).
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