Orthopaedic centre in Birmingham

The Orthopaedic centre at The Priory Hospital provides fast access to a full range of adult orthopaedic services, from X-Rays and MRI scans, to orthopaedic surgery.

The Priory is the largest private hospital in Birmingham. Our highly trained and experienced orthopaedic consultants work with dedicated healthcare professionals, including nurses and chartered physiotherapists, to help you get better as quickly as possible.

The Priory Hospital orthopaedic centre

Our centre for orthopaedic surgery offers a comprehensive service for various bone and joint problems, including problems with your knee, hip, spine, shoulder, hand and wrist.

This Circle Health Group centre is led by 50 experienced orthopaedic and spinal surgeons, alongside dedicated nurses and chartered physiotherapists. By choosing to have your treatment with us, you'll be supported and cared for throughout your stay by talented and kind healthcare professionals. For extra peace of mind, we have the full backup and support of The Priory's critical care unit.

Orthopaedic facilities at The Priory

Our facilities, modern technology, and on-site support services, enable our consultants to undertake a variety of procedures - from routine investigations to complex surgery. Here are just some of the facilities:

• Cancer care centre for inpatient and outpatient treatment
• Intensive care unit with six beds
• Imaging and diagnostics centre 
• Advanced physiotherapy services
• Minor operations room

You can also choose to spend time at our nearby sister hospital, Circle Rehabilitation, if you want to extend your care with us and do not feel ready to return home post-surgery. The Priory Hospital also offers outpatient services in Sutton Coldfield at Sutton Medical Centre.

Orthopaedic surgery is a medical speciality that treats musculoskeletal problems affecting your bones and joints and surrounding soft tissues like tendons and muscles. It covers many areas of your body, including your hips, knees, elbows, fingers, wrists, shoulder, spine, feet and ankles.

Our consultant orthopaedic surgeons work in expert teams, including anaesthetists, radiologists, nurses and physiotherapists. They include sub-specialists, such as hand surgeons, neurosurgeons, head and neck surgeons, podiatric surgeons, neurophysiologists, and rheumatologists.

Our orthopaedic and spinal surgeons have trained at some of the UK's most highly regarded orthopaedic and trauma hospitals. International patients visit some of our consultants here at The Priory Hospital - many people will travel to see the best in their field.

Orthopaedic surgery can help improve symptoms and joint damaged caused by various conditions, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal problems such as sciatica or a slipped disc, and sports and other injuries.

You might also need orthopaedic surgery for conditions affecting your feet, such as bunions (hallux valgus), or your hands, like Dupuytren’s disease.

Our specialist orthopaedic and spinal surgeons at The Priory will decide whether you need orthopaedic surgery. Their evidence-based practice combines clinical expertise, the best available medical research, and your preferences as a patient.

You can usually see a consultant surgeon within a day or two of contacting us. If orthopaedic surgery is required, it is generally performed within weeks of your appointment.

Your point of pain determines which orthopaedic expert you'll see. Spinal surgeons are orthopaedic spinal surgeons who treat your spine, and neurosurgeons specialise in nerve and brain conditions. Orthopaedic surgeons specialise in bones and joints.

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Mr Faisal Hussain at The Priory has worked at the prestigious Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and the Birmingham Knee and Shoulder Clinic, part of the Midland Orthopaedic Practice. His expertise is in shoulders and knees.

Mr Hussain says: "If you present with shoulder pain, you'll come to see me in the clinic, where I'll take your medical history and examine you. We then create a treatment plan together, including the most likely investigations, which can be done at the Priory. You'll have a follow-up appointment with me for the results, and we'll decide on the appropriate treatment. It could be conservative, such as a steroid injection or physiotherapy, or a more complex surgery."

People who get treatment at Circle Health Group always have surgery with the surgeon they see throughout their treatment.

At the Priory, we provide a wide range of orthopaedic treatments, including common surgeries such as:

• Knee/shoulder arthroscopy
• Knee replacement surgery
• Hip replacement surgery
• Complex foot and ankle surgeries

Other common orthopaedic procedures include arthroscopic (keyhole) anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and carpal tunnel decompression.

Mr Hussain says: "With shoulders, the most common complaint is impingement or a rotator cuff tears. The second is arthritis within the shoulder. Another significant category is instability, such as shoulder dislocations."

"With knees, it can be anything from cartilage and meniscal issues to ligament problems, the most common being ACL injury. We often treat patients with arthritis in the knees. We also have specialists who deal with younger patients with arthritis."

Your surgeon will send you to the Priory's Radiology department to confirm their diagnosis. The department has X-Ray equipment, MRI, ultrasound, and CT scans. An X-Ray can be done on the day of your first appointment in the clinic. The waiting time for scans is one to two weeks.

Mr Hussain says: "With any condition, we'll discuss whether you require surgery or not. If you decide to go ahead with it, you'll be placed on an operating list and have a pre-assessment check to see whether you are fit to proceed with surgery. You are admitted on the day of your operation and given an anaesthetic."

If you're having joint replacement surgery, it's usually under general anaesthetic. Once asleep, your surgeon will cut your knee, hip, or shoulder, and replace it with a prosthesis. You'll recover in a quiet private room with an ensuite bathroom.

Mr Hussain adds: "You're given appropriate pain relief. If it were knee surgery, you would be in hospital for about three days working on your mobility with a physiotherapist. When discharged, you are usually on crutches. It can take three to six months for your knee to settle after a joint replacement. In the end, it should be much less painful and improve your function."

Our enhanced recovery programme at The Priory ensures you make as quick a recovery as possible and return to everyday life.

Mr Hussain says: "It's about improving recovery times following major operations - joint replacement surgery specifically. It involves different anaesthetic techniques, ways of controlling your pain, and early mobilisation of patients, which will hopefully speed up their recovery from operations like hip and knee replacements."

There is no such thing as risk-free surgery. For a standard knee replacement, the main risks are infections. It is important to remember that this is low - less than one per cent. Other risks include anaesthetic risks, swelling, bleeding, and blood clots.

All patients are welcome at The Priory — whether you choose to pay directly for treatment or by using your medical insurance.

We arrange a direct settlement with insurance companies, but patients should pre-check their level of cover.

We accept several payment methods for self-paying patients, including our flexible payments option from Chrysalis Finance that help you pay spread the cost your payment over a period that suits you.

You are supported throughout your healthcare journey at The Priory Hospital, from your diagnosis to recovery following orthopaedic surgery. Mr Hussain says: "It's a friendly hospital that attracts specialist surgeons working in specialists units. The nursing staff are very experienced and do an excellent job."

When you choose to go private with Circle Health Group, you can expect:

• Flexible appointment times to fit your schedule
• The freedom to choose your hospital and your consultant
• Bespoke, consultant-led treatment plans tailored to your individual needs
• Private ensuite rooms as standard
• Tasty and nutritious meals cooked onsite to your dietary requirements
• Support from the same compassionate clinical team from beginning to end
• Affordable, fixed-price packages with aftercare included
• Flexible payment options to help spread the cost of your care

If you want to know more about hip replacement surgery and find out if it's the right treatment for you, book your appointment online today or call a member of our team directly on 0141 300 5009.

Content reviewed by Circle in-house team in October 2022. Next review due October 2025.