The following information is applicable to patients living in England, and being treated in England. No information provided should be taken as formal legal or medical advice.

Private healthcare in the UK

Like in Ireland and much of Europe, private healthcare is increasingly common in England, coexisting alongside our public health service - the NHS. As well as working for the NHS, many clinicians do private work. Similarly, most independent providers see NHS patients as well as private patients, and many NHS trusts have parts of their hospitals reserved for private patients.

While costly, private healthcare can provide a useful option for many patients, allowing greater choice, shorter wait times, and sometimes access to newer, dedicated facilities. Private healthcare in England can be divided into two types of providers (clinicians and organisations) and two ways to pay (private medical insurance and self-paying).

Advantages of private healthcare

• Possible access to better facilities
• Shorter wait times for non-urgent care
• Greater choice over where and when you are seen

Disadvantages of private healthcare

• Can be very expensive (particularly if self-paying)
• Less regulated
• Facilities may be the same

Do your research

For these reasons, it’s very important to do your research. Currently the best ways to do this are to contact your health insurer (if applicable) or go directly to private providers’ websites. In London, some of the biggest providers to search for are: Circle Health, Spire Healthcare, Ramsay Healthcare, and Healthshare.

To understand the process of accessing private healthcare via health insurance or self-payments, see our guides on how to use private health insurance and how to self-pay for private healthcare.

Is it worth it?

While the cost can be high, depending on your financial situation and current health, private healthcare may be worth it. For example, if you are unable to work while waiting for treatment, being seen earlier may mean you can start work earlier, possibly outweighing the initial upfront cost of receiving private treatment. This is not to say that private healthcare is best for everyone; the NHS offers free, world-class treatment, which for most people means paying for private healthcare is not worth it.

Some approximate costs of private healthcare if you are self-paying are:

Physiotherapist session - from £40
Specialist consultation with a doctor - from £150
MRI scan (1 body part) - from £400
(Total) knee replacement - from £12'000