Private and NHS hip replacement waiting times explained
Many people come to us asking the question: how long is the waiting list for a hip replacement? Hip replacements are a common surgical procedure, particularly for older adults who may experience joint degeneration over time.
Due to the high demand for hip replacements, waiting times for hip replacements on the NHS can be lengthy and cause frustration for those in need of surgery.
The NHS aims for a maximum waiting time of 18 weeks for hip replacement surgery.
In stark contrast, the waiting time for private hip replacement surgery at Practice Plus Group is significantly shorter, typically just 4-6 weeks from booking enquiry to surgery.
The NHS’ aim is for everyone to have a maximum waiting time of 18 weeks from when the hospital receives your referral or you book your first appointment.
If you are looking at hip replacement through the NHS you can look on the NHS website My Planned Care* to find out the waiting time in your local area. Look up your local hospital and see what the waiting time is for a particular specialty, in the case of hip replacement, you can see the general waiting time for orthopaedics. (*Practice Plus Group is not responsible for and does not control the content displayed on external websites.)
The figure given will be the mean waiting time for the total number of patients waiting within the speciality at that hospital trust. It is good to note that this is for ‘planned care’ only.
Private hip replacement waiting times
At Practice Plus, if you are paying for yourself, the average time from booking enquiry to having your surgery is just 4-6 weeks. This tends to be significantly less than NHS waiting times. So, if you’re looking for an urgent hip replacement, self-pay healthcare may be an option you want to consider.
Other private providers should be able to give you specific information on the waiting times at a particular hospital. It’s good to ask detailed questions about timing and find out whether the appointment times and hospital admission time suits you.
Between 2021/22, the most common age for a hip replacement in the UK was 75-791.
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Comparing private and NHS waiting times for hip surgery
If you are looking for a quicker solution to your hip pain, opting for self-pay surgery means you’ll get your treatment in just 4-6 weeks. Other benefits include:
How to check waiting times for hip replacements in England
The NHS-run My Planned Care* site is a really useful resource for keeping up with current waiting times. It allows you to select the region you live in, e.g. South East. Once on the South East webpage, you can select your nearest NHS Trust and then the speciality you want to look at for example, if you are looking for hip replacement times, search for “orthopaedics.” You will then be able to see the average waiting time either from GP referral to appointment or treatment. (*Practice Plus Group is not responsible for and does not control the content displayed on external websites.)
You may find that if the waiting list at your chosen NHS hospital is particularly long that you can ask to switch hospital waiting lists. If you have been told that you will have to wait longer than 18 weeks for hip replacement surgery you could request to start treatment at a different hospital with shorter waiting times.
Pain in your hip?
If you’re experiencing hip pain, try our hip suitability quiz. It will give you an idea of whether you’d benefit from booking an initial consultation with one of our hip specialists.
What to do while waiting for hip replacement surgery
While waiting, you can prepare for hip replacement surgery by making sure that you are in good mental and physical condition. Taking care of your diet and making good lifestyle choices will help get your body ready for surgery.
Planning activities of daily living can help to minimise pain and discomfort, you may find that making small adjustments helps. Doing daily tasks such as walking, driving or sitting at a desk can add to hip discomfort, so be sure to pace yourself. You can find some handy tips in our signs you need a hip replacement blog.
Taking prescribed pain relief prior to a hip replacement can help keep you mobile and ease the discomfort caused by daily activities, such as bending down, and getting in and out of the car or bed. Your GP or consultant will be able to advise on the best pain relief to suit you.
Exercising whilst waiting for a hip replacement helps you establish a strong exercise regime before surgery that you can also continue afterwards, helping you to make a speedy recovery. Helpful guides and info can be found in our Joint School. Whether you’re looking to strengthen your muscles or cut down on alcohol and smoking, the Joint School is designed to help you prepare for your joint surgery.
Waiting to receive treatment or surgery can have significant implications. It may mean spending longer in high levels of pain, which impacts quality of life. In some patients, it may also mean an increased risk of emergency admission due to fractures or make the hip surgery more complex and costly due to worsening condition of the joint.
A short animation detailing hip replacement surgery.
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How to reduce waiting times for hip replacement surgery
If you have been told that your operation will take more than 18 weeks, take a look at our tips to jump the NHS waiting list and have your surgery sooner.
Helping to reduce waiting times for surgery is something we do well at Practice Plus Group. During the pandemic our work had a significant impact on NHS surgical waiting lists. As an example, in our Ilford hospital, we were able to work with NHS colleagues to run joint replacement lists for seven consecutive days, with between 30 and 40 patients on our lists each day. The collaborative approach had a really positive effect on the lives of many people who had been waiting in discomfort for surgery.
At Practice Plus, the average waiting time from booking enquiry to surgery is just 4-6 weeks. Using our self-pay option, you can dramatically cut down the time you spend waiting for hip replacement surgery.
Don’t wait for treatment! Access consultant-led treatment at a time and place that suits you.
Private healthcare offers greater flexibility over when, where, and by whom you’re treated. In the vast majority of cases, the waiting times are shorter too, and with Practice Plus Group, prices are transparent.
Choosing private healthcare can make planned treatment easier to fit around work, family, and personal commitments. Options to access private treatment are self-pay, payments plans, or medical insurance.
Not yet found the hip replacement waiting time information you’re looking for? The answers below might be able to help!
According to The Health Foundation, due to the suspension of routine NHS care during the pandemic, by January 2021, 58,000 people had waited for an average of 25 additional weeks for their hip replacement. Some areas of England were worse affected than others with the North West and South West having 50% fewer admissions than usual2.
At Practice Plus we were able to support the NHS by carrying on with routine surgery that couldn’t be scheduled in NHS hospitals, where a shortage of staff and a surge in COVD-19 patients prevented the usual cadence of routine surgery.
The average waiting time for a hip replacement will vary according to the provider and where you live. It is often difficult to compare waiting times as there are different factors that can be measured. If you would like to do your own comparison consider the following factors:
– is the time measured from GP referral time or time seen by a consultant?
– is the waiting calculated from the first appointment or from diagnosis?
– if you choose to go to a different provider for the operation does this reset the clock?
It is good to make sure you are comparing like for like before making a decision on a provider.
Around a quarter of those who need a hip replacement will come through as an emergency, for example, those who have fractured their hip. This means a quarter of people who have a hip replacement will not go onto an NHS waiting list.
For those joining the waiting list, a healthcare professional will assess you and decide the urgency based on your individual needs.
The answer to this will depend on a few different factors. The first is the level of pain and discomfort you’re experiencing. If conservative pain management methods such as painkillers are no longer effective but you still have a long NHS waiting list ahead of you, going private may be an option to seriously consider. Likewise, if your physical and mental wellbeing are being impacted by your condition.
At Practice Plus Group, it usually takes around a week to get an initial hip replacement consultation. From there, you’ll be given a treatment plan and the dates for your surgery. This will take place just 4-6 weeks after your consultation.
If you’re on the NHS waiting list and want to have your surgery sooner, you could try the following:
– be prepared to travel to other NHS hospitals across the UK. These may have shorter waiting times than the ones in your location
– have your treatment privately
– keep yourself healthy and eligible for surgery
This is usually when the severity of your condition and its impact on your quality of life require prompt surgical intervention. Symptoms will likely include severe pain and disability to loss of function and structural damage. Speak to your care provider if you think your case is urgent.
If you are not sure whether you need a hip replacement or when the best time to have surgery is, talk to your orthopaedic consultant surgeon. They will be able to discuss your needs, perform tests and scans, and get an idea of how hip pain is affecting your activities. Signs you need a hip replacement can vary from person-to-person. Making a decision on the right time to have surgery can increase your quality of life, giving you more time to enjoy it.
If you delay hip replacement surgery for too long, it’s likely the damage to your joint will worsen. This could make the eventual surgery more difficult while increasing the risk of complications.
If your pain prevents you from being active in your everyday life, the stiffness in your joint may worsen over time, making movement difficult. That being said, it’s never too late for a hip replacement if it is deemed safe and beneficial by your consultant.
In a word: yes. In a few more words: if your pain levels allow.
If you can manage it, walking is a great way of staying fit while also helping to strengthen the muscles around your affected hip. Swimming will also help in this department if you find walking too painful.
Acknowledgements and clinical review
This page has been medically reviewed and approved by Mr Gyorgy Lovasz, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Barlborough. He is a GMC-registered consultant surgeon (GMC: 6096593), with over 43 years of surgical experience and holds MD and FRCS (Orth) qualifications. His specialist practice includes hip and knee surgery with special interest in knee arthroscopy, complex knee surgery, aspiration of joint, soft tissue repair, and ultrasound-guided injection (USGI).
All content on this page is produced by the Practice Plus Group digital content team and clinically reviewed by consultant specialists to ensure accuracy, patient safety, and alignment with current UK clinical best practice. Content is approved under Practice Plus Group’s clinical governance framework.
Gyorgy Lovasz General Medical Council number: 6096593
This page is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changes in clinical evidence, surgical practice, and patient safety standards. The last clinical review was completed on 17/6/2026, with the next review scheduled for 17/06/2027.
James Wood, Content Specialist
This article was co-written by Content Specialist, James Wood. Our Content Specialist, James, has been writing articles and blogs for Practice Plus Group since 2022. He has more than a decade of experience as a copywriter within a range of different backgrounds and works closely with medical professionals to deliver information that's easy-to-read and patient-focused.
