How long is the NHS wait for a hip replacement in 2026?

The referral-to-treatment median across all specialties was about 12.4 weeks in May 2026, but trauma & orthopaedics — the largest queue at roughly 828,000 people — runs longer, with a median near 14 weeks and about 1 in 12 patients waiting over 41.8 weeks. From first GP visit to surgery, many patients report the full journey taking six months or more.

Is private surgery in the UK faster?

Yes — private hospitals typically schedule within weeks. A private hip replacement in the UK runs about £12,000–18,000 and a knee replacement £10,000–16,000, which is why some patients compare that price against travelling abroad.

NHS hip & knee replacement waiting times in 2026 — and your options

If your GP has mentioned a hip or knee replacement, the first question is rarely "how good is the surgery" — it is "how long until I get it". Here is where NHS waiting lists actually stand in 2026, and the three routes patients take.

The numbers, as of May 2026

The overall NHS England referral-to-treatment (RTT) waiting list sits at roughly 7.3 million cases.
The median wait across all specialties is about 12.4 weeks; 65.6% of patients are treated within 18 weeks (the constitutional target is 92%).
Trauma & orthopaedics is the largest specialty queue — around 828,000 people waiting, the biggest of all 23 reported specialties.
Within orthopaedics the median is close to 14 weeks, but the long tail matters: roughly 1 in 12 patients waits more than 41.8 weeks, and over 100,000 patients across all specialties have been waiting over a year.

Add the weeks before the clock starts — GP appointment, imaging, the referral itself — and many patients experience a 6-month-plus journey for a hip or knee replacement.

Sources: NHS England RTT statistics (May 2026 release). Numbers move monthly — always check the latest official release.

The three routes patients actually take

1. Wait it out. Free at the point of care, and for many people the right call. Ask your GP about cancellation lists and choosing a provider with a shorter queue — you have a legal right to choose your hospital in England.

2. Go private in the UK. Surgery typically scheduled within weeks, at roughly £12,000–18,000 for a hip and £10,000–16,000 for a knee. Fast, familiar, but the single largest self-pay medical bill most families ever see.

3. Travel for treatment. The same procedures in China's international hospital departments typically cost 50–90% less than UK private list prices — often within the same month. Flights and a two-to-three-week stay add cost, which is exactly why we built the Cost Compass to show the full trip math, and the NHS vs private vs abroad comparison.

What to do this week

Get your imaging and referral letter in order (you will need them whichever route you pick), check your specialty's live queue position with our Wait Check tool, then run the numbers side by side. Decision paralysis is the only option that guarantees more waiting.