Rotator cuff surgery waiting times
How long the wait for a rotator cuff repair really is, what it looks like at your own hospital, and the three honest routes through it — NHS, a targeted private step, or fully private.
Updated May 2026 · NHS RTT data
The national picture
Across England, the typical wait in Trauma & Orthopaedics is about 19 weeks on average (a median of 15). The wait has a long tail: 1 in 5 people wait over 31 weeks.
Pooled across 128 NHS trusts (685,030 patients). Source: NHS RTT, May 2026.
Enter your postcode — no sign-up, the number appears right here.
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 15 weeks — and longer at many hospitals. Check yours above.
Best if cost is the main concern and waiting weeks or months is manageable.
Pay for the smaller steps — a private consultation, and a scan if needed — to be seen in weeks instead of months, then have your treatment free on the NHS. A route permitted under Department of Health guidance, which protects your NHS place and waiting-list position.
Best if you want to save significant time with a targeted spend, without paying for everything privately.
Pay for everything, including the rotator cuff repair itself (typically £8,400–£11,000 for the surgical package), and skip the NHS wait entirely. The fastest route, and the most expensive.
Best if speed is critical and budget allows.
What it costs privately
A private rotator cuff repair is typically £8,400 to £11,000 — the all-in surgical package (surgeon, anaesthetist, theatre, hospital stay, follow-up). A private consultation to get there, and a scan if needed, are a few hundred pounds on top. If you pay for just those early steps, the rotator cuff repair itself stays free on the NHS.
Typical UK self-pay package prices, reviewed periodically.
How long is the private wait? Privately there is no formal waiting list. Allow about 3 to 6 weeks from your first consultation to treatment — against an NHS median of about 15 weeks in Trauma & Orthopaedics.
Related conditions
Browse all NHS waiting times →
Common questions
Get your personalised plan
A £19 plan maps all three routes for your exact hospital and condition: named providers, real prices, and the specific steps that save you the most time.
Get your full plan — £19 →