Polymyalgia rheumatica waiting times
How long the NHS wait for rheumatology really is, what it looks like at your own hospital, and the routes through it: the NHS, a faster clinic, or private care.
Updated July 2026 · NHS RTT data
Get medical help the same day if you have a new headache, pain or tenderness in your scalp or temples, jaw pain when chewing, or any change in your vision. PMR is linked to giant cell arteritis, which needs urgent treatment to protect your sight.
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Across England, half of Rheumatology patients are treated within 11 weeks; the average is 16, and 1 in 5 wait longer than 26 weeks.
Half are treated within 11 weeks
The average wait is 16 weeks
1 in 5 wait longer than 26 weeks
Pooled across 115 NHS trusts (26,362 patients). Source: NHS RTT, July 2026.
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Your three routes
We don't tell you which to pick: we give you the honest shape of each and let you decide.
Join the queue and wait. Nationally that's a median of about 11 weeks, and longer at many hospitals. Check yours above.
Best if cost is the main concern and waiting weeks or months is manageable.
Pay to be diagnosed sooner, then have the operation on the NHS. If you are already referred, this does not change your place in the queue.
Best if you want to save significant time with a targeted spend, without paying for everything privately.
Pay for everything privately and skip the NHS wait entirely. The fastest route, and the most expensive.
Best if speed is critical and budget allows.
If a private consultation is what gets you referred, your NHS wait starts from that referral, not from when your symptoms began or when you first saw your GP. You lose nothing by going private first, because you had no NHS clock running to lose. But you do not gain a head start either. Ask your GP for an NHS referral at the same time, so the clock starts while you are being seen privately.
What it costs privately
Private treatment cost varies with the procedure your consultant recommends, and is quoted before you commit.
Typical UK self-pay package prices, reviewed periodically.
See every NHS trust's polymyalgia rheumatica wait, ranked fastest first →
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Common questions
About polymyalgia rheumatica
What it is
Polymyalgia rheumatica, often called PMR, causes pain and stiffness in the shoulders, neck and hips, usually worst in the morning. It mostly affects people over 50, is more common in women, and often comes on over a few days or weeks. Many people also feel tired, low or generally unwell. It is caused by inflammation, and blood tests usually show raised levels of inflammation.
How it is usually treated
PMR is usually diagnosed from your symptoms, an examination and blood tests, and many people are diagnosed and treated by their GP. A referral to a rheumatologist, a specialist in joint and muscle conditions, is common when the diagnosis is unclear, symptoms are unusual, or treatment is not working well. The main treatment is a steroid medicine, usually taken as tablets, which often eases symptoms quickly. The dose is then reduced slowly over many months, under medical supervision. Do not stop or change steroids without talking to your doctor.
After treatment
Most people need treatment for one to two years, sometimes longer. Symptoms can return as the dose is reduced, which is common and manageable. You will have regular check-ups and blood tests while on treatment, and because long-term steroids can affect bone strength, blood sugar and blood pressure, your doctor may offer bone protection and regular checks. Many people are eventually able to stop treatment completely.
General information only, not medical advice. Your GP or specialist will advise on your own situation.
Written by the Wait or Pay team and sourced to the NHS. Last reviewed September 2026.
How long will you really wait, and how could you go sooner?
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