FairWait
🇬🇧
Healthcare in the United Kingdom: cost & waiting times
Tax-funded universalThe NHS provides care free at the point of use, funded by general taxation. You register with a GP practice near your home; the GP is the gateway to almost all specialist and hospital care.
Emergency number: 999 (or 112)
How residents get care
- Register with a GP practice — Find practices near a postcode on the NHS website and register online or in person. You don't need proof of address or immigration status.
- Book a GP appointment — Through the NHS App, the practice website, or by phone. Same-day urgent slots are triaged; routine appointments can take 1–2 weeks.
- Get a referral for specialist care — The GP refers you into hospital services. You can choose the hospital via the NHS e-Referral Service.
- Use 111 for urgent advice, 999 for emergencies — NHS 111 (online or phone) directs you to the right service when it's not an emergency.
Official waiting-time source
These specific targets are NHS England's own standards — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are separate health systems with their own targets and regulations (e.g. Scotland's 12-week Treatment Time Guarantee), not covered by the England-only sources this page links to. The 28-day figure is the Faster Diagnosis Standard, which replaced the old 2-week 'seen by a specialist' cancer target in October 2023. Actual waits vary widely by specialty and hospital.
My Planned Care (per-hospital waiting times) ↗
| Milestone | Reference |
|---|---|
| Referral to treatment (England) | 126 days (~18w) |
| Diagnostic test (England) | 42 days (~6w) |
| Cancer diagnosed or ruled out (England, Faster Diagnosis Standard) | 28 days (~4w) |
Typical private costs
Typical self-pay prices — for an exact figure use the official links above or ask a clinic for a written quote.
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Private GP appointment | £60–£120 |
| Private specialist consultation | £180–£300 |
| MRI, one area | £350–£600 |
| Cataract surgery, per eye | £2,400–£3,500 |
| Hip replacement | £12,000–£15,500 |
Typical waits & prices by procedure
Typical averages for comparison, not quotes. Public care is free or nominal at the point of use unless noted. Private care has no standard queue — availability depends on the provider. Where an official statistic exists (UK, Ireland, Poland) the interactive guide shows it, dated and sourced.
| Procedure | Typical public wait | Typical private price |
|---|---|---|
| GP / primary-care appointment | ~5 days | £60–£120 |
| Specialist consultation (first) | ~91 days | £180–£300 |
| Cardiology (heart) appointment | ~90 days | £220–£350 |
| Dermatology (skin) appointment | ~80 days | £180–£300 |
| ENT (ear, nose & throat) appointment | ~115 days | £200–£300 |
| Gastroenterology (gut) appointment | ~85 days | £200–£320 |
| General surgery appointment | ~95 days | £200–£300 |
| Gynaecology appointment | ~105 days | £200–£320 |
| Neurology (brain & nerves) appointment | ~100 days | £230–£350 |
| Ophthalmology (eyes) appointment | ~80 days | £180–£280 |
| Orthopaedic (bones & joints) appointment | ~105 days | £200–£300 |
| Respiratory (lungs) appointment | ~78 days | £200–£320 |
| Rheumatology appointment | ~82 days | £200–£320 |
| Urology appointment | ~92 days | £200–£300 |
| Plastic surgery appointment | ~105 days | £150–£250 |
| Oral surgery appointment | ~120 days | £120–£250 |
| Other medical specialist (diabetes, hormones, kidneys…) | ~82 days | £200–£320 |
| Children's specialist (paediatrics) appointment | ~90 days | £200–£320 |
| Psychiatrist appointment | ~70 days | £300–£450 |
| Elderly care (geriatrics) appointment | ~60 days | £200–£320 |
| MRI scan (one area) | ~42 days | £350–£600 |
| CT scan | ~42 days | £400–£700 |
| X-ray | ~14 days | £80–£150 |
| Ultrasound scan | ~28 days | £150–£280 |
| Bone density (DEXA) scan | ~42 days | £150–£250 |
| Mammogram (breast X-ray) | ~28 days | £200–£350 |
| Gastroscopy / endoscopy | ~63 days | £1,600–£2,400 |
| Colonoscopy | ~70 days | £1,800–£2,800 |
| Flexible sigmoidoscopy | ~63 days | £900–£1,400 |
| Echocardiogram | ~42 days | £250–£420 |
| 24-hour heart monitor (Holter ECG) | ~42 days | £250–£450 |
| Coronary angiogram | ~42 days | £2,500–£3,800 |
| Cystoscopy (bladder camera) | ~63 days | £1,100–£1,800 |
| Hysteroscopy (womb camera) | ~70 days | £1,500–£2,500 |
| Colposcopy | ~28 days | £400–£700 |
| Sleep study | ~90 days | £500–£1,000 |
| EEG (brain activity test) | ~56 days | £350–£650 |
| Nerve conduction study | ~70 days | £350–£650 |
| Allergy testing | ~90 days | £250–£450 |
| Cataract surgery (per eye) | ~126 days | £2,400–£3,500 |
| YAG laser capsulotomy (after cataract) | ~70 days | £700–£1,100 |
| Squint surgery | ~150 days | £3,000–£4,500 |
| Eye injection (wet macular degeneration), per injection | ~28 days | £800–£1,200 |
| Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) | ~180 days | £3,000–£4,500 |
| Knee arthroscopy | ~175 days | £4,500–£6,500 |
| ACL (knee ligament) reconstruction | ~210 days | £6,500–£8,500 |
| Hip replacement | ~210 days | £12,000–£15,500 |
| Knee replacement | ~238 days | £13,000–£17,000 |
| Partial knee replacement | ~230 days | £10,500–£14,000 |
| Shoulder replacement | ~230 days | £11,500–£15,500 |
| Rotator cuff repair (shoulder) | ~175 days | £6,500–£9,000 |
| Carpal tunnel release | ~168 days | £1,800–£2,700 |
| Trigger finger release | ~160 days | £1,500–£2,300 |
| Dupuytren's contracture surgery | ~180 days | £2,800–£4,200 |
| Bunion surgery | ~175 days | £4,000–£5,500 |
| Joint steroid injection | ~90 days | £350–£700 |
| Lumbar disc surgery (discectomy) | ~189 days | £9,000–£13,000 |
| Spinal decompression (spinal stenosis) | ~200 days | £8,500–£12,500 |
| Inguinal hernia repair | ~154 days | £3,000–£4,500 |
| Umbilical hernia repair | ~150 days | £2,600–£3,600 |
| Gallbladder removal | ~182 days | £5,500–£8,000 |
| Haemorrhoid (piles) surgery | ~150 days | £2,400–£3,600 |
| Lump or cyst removal (lipoma) | ~120 days | £800–£1,600 |
| Thyroid surgery (thyroidectomy) | ~180 days | £6,500–£9,000 |
| Weight-loss surgery (gastric sleeve) | ~365 days | £9,500–£12,500 |
| Tonsillectomy | ~175 days | £3,000–£4,000 |
| Septoplasty (nasal septum) | ~200 days | £3,500–£5,000 |
| Sinus surgery (FESS) | ~200 days | £4,500–£6,500 |
| Grommets (ear tubes) | ~150 days | £2,000–£3,000 |
| Vasectomy | ~70 days | £400–£700 |
| Prostate surgery (TURP) | ~180 days | £8,000–£11,500 |
| Kidney stone removal (ureteroscopy) | ~120 days | £5,000–£7,500 |
| Circumcision (adult) | ~150 days | £1,800–£2,800 |
| Hysterectomy | ~140 days | £7,000–£10,500 |
| Diagnostic laparoscopy (e.g. endometriosis) | ~150 days | £3,000–£4,500 |
| Endometrial ablation (heavy periods) | ~140 days | £2,500–£3,500 |
| Ovarian cyst removal | ~150 days | £4,000–£6,000 |
| Female sterilisation | ~150 days | £2,500–£3,500 |
| Wisdom tooth removal (in hospital) | ~180 days | £1,200–£2,500 |
| Mole or skin lesion removal | ~100 days | £400–£1,000 |
| Breast reduction | ~365 days | £5,500–£8,000 |
| Varicose vein removal | ~140 days | £3,000–£4,500 |
| Pacemaker fitting | ~60 days | £9,000–£13,000 |
| Coronary angioplasty & stent | ~60 days | £8,000–£12,000 |
| Heart rhythm ablation (AF) | ~200 days | £14,000–£20,000 |
| Heart bypass surgery (CABG) | ~90 days | £17,000–£25,000 |
| Heart valve replacement | ~90 days | £20,000–£30,000 |
| Laser eye surgery (both eyes) | not generally available | £2,400–£5,600 |
| Hair transplant | not generally available | £4,100–£8,750 |
| IVF (one cycle) | not generally available | £4,000–£6,000 |
| Dental implant with crown | not generally available | £2,000–£3,500 |
| Porcelain veneers (per tooth) | not generally available | £400–£900 |
| Nose reshaping (rhinoplasty) | not generally available | £4,000–£7,000 |
| Breast enlargement (implants) | not generally available | £3,500–£8,000 |
| Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) | not generally available | £5,000–£10,000 |
| Liposuction | not generally available | £3,000–£8,500 |
| Physiotherapy session | ~42 days | £50–£90 |
Prescriptions
England: £9.90 per item (frozen for 2026/27), or a Prepayment Certificate (£32.05 / 3 months, £114.50 / year). Free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and for exempt groups.
Dental care
NHS dentistry exists in bands (Band 1 £27.40, Band 2 £75.30, Band 3 £326.70 in England) but finding an NHS dentist taking new adults is hard; most implant work is private.
Adult public dental cover: limited. Typical self-pay prices:
| Treatment | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Check-up + X-rays | £40–£90 |
| Scale & polish | £60–£120 |
| Filling | £90–£200 |
| Extraction | £90–£250 |
| Root canal | £300–£700 |
| Crown | £400–£900 |
| Implant (post only) | £1,200–£2,500 |
| Implant + crown | £2,000–£3,500 |
| Veneer (per tooth) | £400–£900 |
| Full denture (per arch) | £500–£1,200 |
Finding a doctor or specialist
Well-known hospital groups (listed, not vetted or ranked):
Check a provider's inspection rating or registration with CQC — Care Quality Commission ↗.
Health insurance
Insurers and schemes people in the United Kingdom commonly use, and cover for visitors. Listed for comparison, not recommended — check the policy wording yourself.
| Insurer | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NHS ↗ | National / public scheme | Free at the point of use for residents. |
| Bupa UK ↗ | Local health insurer | The UK's largest private health insurer. |
| AXA Health ↗ | Local health insurer | Private medical insurance. |
| Aviva Health ↗ | Local health insurer | Private medical insurance. |
| Vitality Health ↗ | Local health insurer | Private medical insurance. |
Visiting the United Kingdom?
Your entitlement: Visitors from countries with a reciprocal agreement (EU/EEA, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and others) get necessary NHS treatment. A&E and emergency care is free to everyone. Other visitors in England are charged 150% of the NHS tariff (England-specific regulation — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland charge overseas visitors under their own, separate rules).
EHIC / GHIC: EU/EEA/Swiss visitors: use your EHIC. UK residents abroad: apply for a free GHIC.
Pharmacies: Pharmacies (green cross) give minor-illness advice without an appointment via the Pharmacy First scheme.
Insurance: Travel insurance is still strongly advised for repatriation and any private care.
How to book
- Public: NHS App — book GP and hospital appointments ↗
- Private: Doctify — find and book private specialists ↗
- Compare every NHS and private hospital in England: official NHS waiting times by hospital
Useful links
Open the full interactive guide, compare tool & tracker →Content last checked: 2026-10-04. Figures are typical/official-source references, not quotes — see the links above for the current real number.