Guide

Hernia surgery in Bristol – a patient guide


Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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If you’re looking at having your hernia surgery in Bristol, finding a hospital and learning about what to expect from the procedure is likely your priority.

Bristol itself is home to many healthcare providers, all capable of carrying out the surgery. But the questions are: which is best suited to your specific needs? And how can you find out which is going to be the best facility for you?

Our dedicated article aims to help you find all the information you need.

Map of Bristol

Hernia repair in Bristol at a glance

  • Waiting time: 4-6 weeks
  • Cost: £3,149
  • Ways to pay: self-pay and insured
  • Hospital stay: same-day recovery
  • Procedure time: 30-45 minutes

Wellsoon is the new service from Practice Plus Group that provides a range of treatments for patients paying for themselves or paying by private medical insurance. With no hidden costs, you’ll pay less than you might think and be back to your best sooner than you thought.

  • £95 consultation within 1 to 2 weeks* – includes x-ray, bloods and swabs
  • Surgery in just 4 to 6 weeks*
  • Experts in hips, knees, eyes, hernias and more
  • Pay for yourself or via health insurance
  • 0% finance options available

Where can you get a private hernia operation in Bristol?

Bristol boasts a long list of healthcare providers that can carry out hernia repair surgery. The question is: which is the best one for you?

First, you’ll need to think about the location. Is it close by? Is it going to be easy for you to get there? How accessible is it?

The map below highlights all the hospitals in the Bristol area. It should give you an idea of which is going to best serve you from a location perspective. The purple pin indicates the location of Practice Plus Group Hospital, Emersons Green.

map of hernia surgery providers in Bristol

At Practice Plus Group Hospital, Emersons Green, we are easily accessible from the east and north via the M4.

The M3, M3X, Y1, and 49 buses also stop at the Willy Wicket pub or Emerald Park. Both are within a 10 minute walk of the hospital.

If you’re travelling from Wales, you may be eligible for our transport help service. Please call 0330 053 6441 for more details.

The cost of private hernia repair surgery in Bristol

At Practice Plus Group, we strive to offer all our self-pay and insured patients transparent and honest pricing. This means that with us, there are no hidden costs or charges and we’re definitely not trying to catch you out. Take a look at the table below to see how we stack up against other local private healthcare providers:

Healthcare providerConsultation feePrice of hernia repair surgeryTotal cost
Practice Plus Group£95£3,149£3,094
Nuffield Healthfrom £150£3,685£3,835
Spire Health£150£4,096£4,246

What’s included?

As part of our commitment to transparency, the price you see is the price you pay. And in the case of hernia repair surgery at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Emersons Green, this comes to £3.094. This includes any basic tests you might need in the initial consultation to diagnose your condition. It will also cover any necessary post-op medication to get you back on your feet. While unlikely with hernia repair surgery, if you do need to stay with us overnight don’t worry – these costs are covered too!

Paying for yourself

If you plan to pay for yourself, this can be done in a single, one-off transaction. You might have money stashed away in savings or put aside for times like these. Either way, if you choose this option, you’ll get fast access to high-quality healthcare.

Using health insurance

Some private health insurance plans may cover part or all of the costs associated with your hernia repair surgery. Before you embark on planning your procedure, make sure that:

Finance options

If you want to pay for yourself but don’t have the ability to pay the full amount upfront, there’s no need to worry. As part of our commitment to making healthcare accessible, we’ve introduced finance options. This means you can spread the cost of your treatment over time to make it more manageable.


Why wait for your MRI scan?

Refer yourself now for fast access to a private MRI scan at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Emersons Green!

  • No GP referral needed
  • Free onsite parking
  • Results within 7 days

Waiting times for hernia surgery in Bristol

If you’re having general surgery in Bristol with the NHS, the current waiting time is around four months from your initial appointment.

At Practice Plus Group Hospital, Emersons Green, the waiting time for private hernia repair surgery is just four-to-six weeks from your initial consultation.

Finding the best hernia surgeons in Bristol

Choosing the right hernia repair surgeon doesn’t need to be a tough process. With our wide network of first-class healthcare professionals, you won’t be looking for long. To help you narrow down your search, you can use our website to filter by treatment, location, and language to browse our Bristol-based general surgeons.


Surgeon Q&A

Patient question: How long does hernia repair surgery take?

Surgeon answer: Typically between 30-45 minutes depending on the severity of the injury and the patient’s specific need.

Patient question: When can I go back to work after hernia repair surgery?

Surgeon answer: This depends on the type of work you do. Manual labour should be avoided for at least a few months after surgery.

Patient question: How long will it take to recover?

Surgeon answer: Every patient recovers at different rates. Generally, you can expect to be fully recovered after three months.


What to expect at Emersons Green, Bristol

So, you’ve decided to come aboard the good ship Practice Plus Group. Hope you like the purple sails! Now it’s about time we gave you some details on your upcoming hernia repair surgery with us. Take a look below for more information on what to expect.

Location and how to get there

Practice Plus Group Hospital, Emersons Green is located to the north-east of Bristol, off M4 junction 19.

The M3, M3X, Y1, and 49 buses also stop at the Willy Wicket pub or Emerald Park. Both are within a 10 minute walk of the hospital.

If you’re travelling from Wales, you may be eligible for our transport help service. Please call 0330 053 6441 for more details.

Who is accepted for treatment?

As long as you’re eligible for surgery, you’ll be accepted for treatment. One thing you’ll have to think about is how you want to access your surgery. This is done either through self-pay, insurance, or the NHS. You should bear in mind that patients cannot mix and match their treatment pathways – or, in English, you can’t start off as a self-pay patient and then switch to the NHS for your treatment.

Types of hernia treatment offered

At Practice Plus Group Hospital, Emersons Green, we don’t just offer hernia repair treatment. In fact, you can benefit from the following hernia-related procedures:

  • Keyhole hernia surgery: Also called laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair, keyhole surgery is when a surgeon uses an instrument called a laparoscope (a thin telescope with a light). The laparoscope (and any tools the surgeon needs) is passed through the abdominal wall via small incisions. The weak area of muscle is then repaired with a mesh that is either glued, stapled, or stitched back in place
  • Open hernia repair surgery: During open hernia repair surgery, your hernia surgeon will make an incision over your hernia. He or she will then push the protruding tissue back through the muscle. This area of weakened muscle will have mesh either glued or stapled to it before the wound is closed with glue, staples, or stitches.

Preparing for your hernia surgery

Your hernia repair surgery with us doesn’t start and end at Emersons Green. We’re here to guide you every step of the way. From when you receive your treatment plan, to making travel arrangements for the big day, to what you should wear, our preparing for surgery guide will give you all the information you need.

Your consultation

During your initial consultation, your consultant will need to get to the bottom of your issue and give you a diagnosis. To do this, he or she may need to perform certain tests and ask about your medical history. This is all included in the £95 consultation fee and there’s no obligation for you to progress to treatment.

During the procedure

We specialise in keyhole (laparoscopic) and open surgery; keyhole surgery uses smaller incisions (cuts) but is more difficult, involving several smaller cuts which allow the surgeon to use various special instruments to repair the hernia.

Between two and four small incisions are made through the abdominal wall through which the surgeon passes a thin telescope with a light on the end (called a laparoscope) and the instruments needed to carry out the procedure.

The laparoscope allows the surgeon to see the hernia and observe the surgery, which is done through the incisions using long thin instruments.

The hernia and/or hole are covered with mesh from within the abdomen and staples are used to fix the mesh to the muscle wall tissue.

For an open repair, a single cut is made over the hernia; the hernia is replaced within the abdomen (tummy) and repaired with a mesh. This technique is still the most common hernia repair technique worldwide.

Hernia recovery in Bristol

Following hernia repair surgery, you’ll likely be able to return home on the same day. On rare occasions, patients are required to stay overnight, in which case, our specialist nursing team will be on-hand to support you.

Recovering from hernia surgery is an opportunity to put your feet up. You’ll be issued with painkillers to help you manage any discomfort. You should be able to return to daily activities around four to six weeks after the procedure.

Why choose Practice Plus Group for your hernia surgery?

The answer is simple: we put our patients at the heart of everything we do. From our transparent pricing to our top-quality healthcare professionals, providing you with the very best healthcare experience possible is our number one priority.

Facilities

We have 10 hospitals and surgical centres dotted across the UK, so you’re unlikely to ever be too far from a Practice Plus Group facility. Practice Plus Group Hospital, Emersons Green (previously known as Emersons Green NHS Treatment Centre) boasts a 100% clean record for hospital acquired infections. We’re rated ‘Good’ by the CQC and are open 6am-9pm Monday-Friday and 6am-6pm Saturdays.

Success rate

In March 2024, 97.6% of 968 Practice Plus Group Hospital, Emersons Green patients surveyed rated their service as “Good”. By April 2024, this figure came in at 95.8% of 987 patients.

Care

Our commitment to quality healthcare means we strive to ensure all our patients receive the best healthcare experience possible. But don’t just take our word for it! Take a look at the words of some of our Emersons Green hernia repair patients below.

““My procedure went smoothly, the staff were very friendly and informative with explanation at each stage of the process.”

Practice Plus Group Hospital, Emersons Green hernia repair patient on Doctify

How to book hernia surgery in Bristol

If you’re sick of the discomfort caused by a hernia, please give our Private Patient Care team a call today on 0333 060 5584.

Alternatively, fill out our quick and simple online enquiry form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Paula Sabino Dos Santos consultant

Acknowledgements

Paula Sabino achieved her medical degree in 1990. Qualifying as a consultant general surgeon in 1999, she worked, since 2000, as Consultant General Surgeon at the Caldas da Rainha Hospital in Portugal. She took an active role in launching the surgical day care unit at the Caldas da Rainha hospital and treated surgical patients through the Portuguese National Health Service. Moving to the UK in 2012 she took a role at the Alexandra Hospital, Redditch, before joining the Practice Plus Group team as a Consultant General Surgeon.
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