Procedure · Trauma & Orthopaedics
Hip replacement NHS waiting times
Also known as hip arthroplasty
Waiting-list data: July 2026Published by NHS England on · next release expected 8 October 2026 · sources
Replacing a damaged hip joint with an artificial one, most often because of osteoarthritis. On the NHS it is carried out by trauma & orthopaedics teams. In July 2026, half of the 848,807 people waiting for trauma & orthopaedics in England had waited longer than 13.6 weeks.
Median wait, trauma & orthopaedics
13.6 weeks
▼ −0.2 wk vs previous month
Waiting under 18 weeks
60.7%
▲ +0.1pp vs previous month
NHS standard: 92%
People waiting in England
848,807
▲ +11,323 vs previous month
Waiting over 52 weeks
22,378
Thinking of paying privately?
Published self-pay prices for hip replacement at the main UK private hospital groups start from £12,750 (up to about £19,230).
Shortest trauma & orthopaedics waits in England
Providers with at least 500 patients waiting, sorted by median wait so far (July 2026). Includes independent hospitals that treat NHS patients.
| Hospital / provider | Median | Under 18 wks |
|---|---|---|
| Clementine Churchill Hospital | 4.8 weeks | 99.1% |
| Nuffield Health Highgate Hospital | 5.3 weeks | 87.7% |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Plymouth | 6.3 weeks | 84.5% |
| Spire Bushey Hospital | 6.7 weeks | 93.3% |
| Lancashire & South CumbriaNorth West | 6.9 weeks | 83.9% |
| Meriden Hospital | 7.1 weeks | 84.5% |
| East Lancashire HospitalsNorth West | 7.1 weeks | 78.0% |
| North Tees and HartlepoolNorth East & Yorkshire | 7.3 weeks | 86.6% |
| KIMS Hospital (Newnham Court) | 7.4 weeks | 89.3% |
| Beardwood Hospital | 7.4 weeks | 81.6% |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital - Emersons Green | 7.5 weeks | 89.5% |
| Huddersfield Private Hospital | 7.7 weeks | 88.4% |
Trauma & Orthopaedics waits by region
Share of patients waiting under 18 weeks, July 2026.
- North East & Yorkshire72.1%43,887 waiting
- West Midlands61.4%85,942 waiting
- London61.4%90,466 waiting
- North West61.2%100,392 waiting
- South East60.3%123,501 waiting
- Yorkshire & the Humber58.2%53,649 waiting
- South West55.6%65,823 waiting
- East Midlands50.4%52,485 waiting
- East of England49.0%82,269 waiting
Trauma & Orthopaedics in England, last 13 months
% waiting under 18 weeks
Show month-by-month figures
| Month | Waiting | Within 18 wks | Over 52 wks |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 848,807 | 60.7% | 22,378 |
| June 2026 | 837,484 | 60.6% | 21,456 |
| May 2026 | 835,954 | 59.8% | 20,912 |
| April 2026 | 827,992 | 58.8% | 19,505 |
| March 2026 | 826,172 | 59.1% | 18,999 |
| February 2026 | 837,743 | 57.6% | 23,056 |
| January 2026 | 845,246 | 57.6% | 25,055 |
| December 2025 | 853,046 | 58.2% | 25,716 |
| November 2025 | 854,156 | 58.9% | 27,719 |
| October 2025 | 867,625 | 59.1% | 29,115 |
| September 2025 | 869,508 | 59.5% | 29,111 |
| August 2025 | 865,083 | 58.6% | 29,176 |
| July 2025 | 856,088 | 58.6% | 28,710 |
Waiting a long time for hip replacement?
In England you can usually choose which hospital you are referred to, including independent hospitals that treat NHS patients.
How the right to choose worksQuestions about hip replacement waits
How long is the NHS waiting list for hip replacement?
NHS England does not publish waits for individual operations. Hip replacement is managed by trauma & orthopaedics teams: in July 2026, 848,807 people in England were waiting for trauma & orthopaedics treatment, half had waited longer than 13.6 weeks and 60.7% had waited under 18 weeks. Waits vary a lot between hospitals.
Which hospitals have the shortest waits for hip replacement?
Among larger providers, the shortest trauma & orthopaedics median waits in July 2026 were at Clementine Churchill Hospital (4.8 weeks), Nuffield Health Highgate Hospital (5.3 weeks), Practice Plus Group Hospital - Plymouth (6.3 weeks). Check the provider treats your condition before asking to be referred there.
Can I get hip replacement faster on the NHS?
In England you can usually choose which hospital you are referred to, including independent hospitals that treat NHS patients. Choosing a provider with a shorter list is the main legitimate way to be treated sooner.
Can I pay for hip replacement privately?
Yes. Private hospitals publish their own self-pay prices, which vary by hospital and by what is included (consultations, scans, follow-up). Ask for a fixed all-inclusive price and check the hospital on the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN).
Related procedures
Sources: NHS England statistics on referral to treatment (RTT) waiting times (July 2026), A&E attendances (August 2026), diagnostic waiting times (DM01) and cancer waiting times, published 10 September 2026; hospital sites from the nhs.uk organisation data. Figures are checked against the official national totals before every update.
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