Last updated 8 October 2026

How to Check Your NHS Waiting Time for a Hip or Knee Replacement (2026)

You can check the NHS waiting time at your own hospital in three ways: the My Planned Care website, which shows average waits by hospital trust and specialty and is updated weekly; the NHS App; or by ringing the hospital. If the wait is long, patients in England can ask to be referred or moved to a hospital with a shorter list. Here is how to do each step.

By OrthoVoyage Editorial TeamMedically reviewed by: —Published 8 October 2026

Key facts

My Planned Care (myplannedcare.nhs.uk) shows average waiting times by hospital trust and specialty in England, updated weekly.
Hip and knee replacements are listed under trauma and orthopaedics, where 61.1% of pathways were within 18 weeks at the end of August 2026.
Patients in England can usually choose which hospital their GP refers them to, including independent providers working for the NHS.
Through PIDMAS, patients who have waited a long time — hospitals have been contacting those waiting over 40 weeks without a date — can ask to move to a hospital with a shorter list.
The NHS Constitution gives a right to start consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks of referral, and to be offered alternative providers if that is not possible.

Checked 8 October 2026

Step 1: look up your hospital on My Planned Care

Go to myplannedcare.nhs.uk.
Choose your region, then your hospital trust.
Select Trauma and Orthopaedics — hip and knee replacements are listed there, not under their own heading.
Read the two figures: the average wait for a first outpatient appointment, and the average wait for treatment.

The site is updated weekly. The figures are averages for the whole specialty, so they are a guide, not a date for your operation.

Step 2: find out where you are on the list

The NHS App shows waiting-time information for many hospitals and, at some, your referral and appointments.
Ring the hospital. The number is on your appointment letter. Ask for the orthopaedic waiting list office or the patient access team, and have your NHS number ready.
PALS, the Patient Advice and Liaison Service at each hospital, can help if you cannot get an answer.

Ask three things: the date you were added to the list, whether you are waiting for a first appointment, a scan or surgery, and what the current wait for that stage is.

Step 3: if the wait is long, ask to go elsewhere

Before you are referred. When your GP refers you, you can usually choose the hospital, including an independent provider that treats NHS patients. Compare waits on My Planned Care first and ask your GP to refer you to the one with the shorter list.

After you have been waiting. Through the Patient Initiated Digital Mutual Aid System (PIDMAS), patients in England who have waited a long time can ask to be moved to a hospital with a shorter list. Hospitals have been contacting those waiting over 40 weeks without a date. Your whole pathway moves with you, and the request is clinically reviewed first. Ask the hospital's waiting list office how to apply.

If your symptoms get worse. Tell your GP or the hospital. A change in your condition can change your clinical priority.

Under the NHS Constitution you have the right to start consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks of referral, and for the NHS to take all reasonable steps to offer alternative providers if that is not possible.

If the answer is still months

At the end of August 2026, 843,419 orthopaedic pathways were waiting in England and 38.9% had already waited more than 18 weeks. If moving hospital does not shorten your wait enough, the alternatives are paying privately in the UK or at a hospital abroad.

UK private costs: £13,020–£16,914 for a knee replacement, £12,750–£16,579 for a hip.
Surgery in Poland: €8,620 (about £7,420) for a knee replacement and €6,940 (about £5,970) for a hip at OrthoVoyage's partner hospital, plus travel.

You can ask for a quote without leaving the NHS list.

OrthoVoyage is a medical travel concierge, not a hospital, and does not give medical advice.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check my NHS waiting time?

Look up your hospital trust and the Trauma and Orthopaedics specialty on My Planned Care (myplannedcare.nhs.uk), which is updated weekly; check the NHS App; or ring the hospital's waiting list office with your NHS number.

Can I move to a different hospital to be seen sooner?

In England, yes. You can choose your hospital at referral, and patients who have waited a long time can ask to move through PIDMAS; hospitals have been contacting those waiting over 40 weeks without a date.

Where do I find knee replacement on My Planned Care?

Under Trauma and Orthopaedics. The site lists average waits by specialty, not by individual operation.

Does My Planned Care tell me my operation date?

No. It shows average waits for the specialty at each hospital trust. For your own position, check the NHS App or ring the hospital.

Sources

My Planned Care — waiting times by hospital — NHS
Choosing another hospital: Patient Initiated Digital Mutual Aid System (PIDMAS) — Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Right to start consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks — Department of Health and Social Care
Statistical Press Notice: NHS referral to treatment (RTT) waiting times data, August 2026 — NHS England

This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Always discuss treatment options with your GP or a specialist.

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