Private hip replacement surgery in Harrow

Hip replacement surgery replaces the worn, damaged natural hip joint with a new, artificial one known as a prosthesis. This prosthesis is usually made of ceramic, metal, or a combination of both. This helps your hip to move easily again, free of pain and stiffness.

This surgery is most commonly carried out when wear and tear (osteoarthritis) has caused significant damage to your natural hip joint.

Below, you will find an overview of hip replacement surgery in Harrow’s largest private hospital, The Clementine Churchill Hospital. If you live in or around Harrow in Middlesex and are considering private hip replacement surgery, this page tells you:

• Why you might need hip replacement surgery
• How hip replacement surgery is carried out
• Five reasons people choose to have their surgery at The Clementine Churchill Hospital

At The Clementine Churchill Hospital, we treat people living in Harrow, Wembley, Northold, and further afield. We welcome people from outside of the UK. If you would like to discuss hip surgery with one of our dedicated consultants, you can book a private consultation at a time that is convenient to you, or call us to speak with a friendly member of our advisory team.

Important: Please note that many of the details on this page are specific to The Clementine Churchill Hospital in Harrow. If you live elsewhere in the UK, Circle Health Group has the UK’s largest network of private hospitals, offering fast access to expert care across the UK.

We asked one of our consultants to describe the difference they’ve seen hip replacement surgery make in people’s lives. Here’s what they told us:

“Hip pain can have a devastating effect on one's life. Things that were once done without a thought can become agonizingly painful.  Putting on socks or getting out of a car can all become impossible. Such prolonged pain can even lead to depression.

Hip replacement can be a life-changing intervention. Patients regularly tell me how surprised they are that their pain rapidly disappears following surgery, and that they often wish they hadn't suffered in pain for so long. 

“You gave me my life back, doctor” is the best thing a surgeon can hear, and it is no wonder that hip replacement ranks as one of the most beneficial operations in history. I try to get my patients back to what they love to do in life, be it tennis, golf or gardening, and there is nothing as rewarding as seeing them achieve this on follow up... I'm often as elated as they are!”

Mr Sherif El-Tawil, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

When a hip is healthy, the bones move freely against one another as the joint is used. This smooth movement is made possible by a lining of articular cartilage on the ends of the bone surfaces which reduces friction.

Osteoarthritis causes the articular cartilage to become worn and damaged, leading to increased friction in your joint as the bones move across one another. Eventually, the cartilage may become so worn that your bones begin to grate directly together as they move. This causes severe pain and stiffness, often making it very hard to move around without a walking aid.

Before hip replacement surgery is ever considered, non-operative treatments will usually be used to successfully manage and relieve the symptoms caused by early-stage osteoarthritis. Typically, these treatments may include:

• Pain relief medication
• Physiotherapy
• Gentle exercise like swimming
• Joint injections

Many people find these are more effective in the earlier, milder stages of osteoarthritis. These non-operative treatments can all be arranged for you here in Harrow, and your consultant will make sure you receive the most appropriate treatment(s) for your specific needs at every stage.

While these treatments are often very helpful, when osteoarthritis progresses and causes more extensive damage to your joint, they often become less effective. When this happens, you may be advised by your consultant to consider hip replacement surgery as the most suitable way to experience relief from pain.

Making the decision to have hip replacement surgery

Assuming your osteoarthritis has caused such extensive damage to your hip that surgery is now an option, your consultant will discuss the surgery with you.

They will explain:

• How the operation is done
• What to expect as you recover from the surgery
• Any risks or possible complications you need to be aware of

This discussion is important. Your consultant will give you their expert opinion, but the final choice as to whether to have hip replacement surgery or not is always yours. There is never any pressure on you, and your consultant will be very happy to talk through any questions or concerns you may have.

How long is the waiting time for hip replacement surgery in Harrow?

In 2019, the population of Harrow was 251,200¹. This number is expected to grow, and Harrow council estimates that by 2041 over one fifth (22%,) of the people living in Harrow will be aged 65 or over².

Severe osteoarthritis requiring surgery is more commonly seen in people as they age. As a larger percentage of the population move into this age bracket, the number of people needing hip replacement surgery in Harrow will invariably increase. With demand exceeding capacity for the foreseeable future, waiting times will continue to increase.

With waiting times for hip replacement surgery in Harrow getting longer, many more people are now choosing to have hip replacement surgery at The Clementine Churchill Hospital to get their surgery carried out at a much earlier date. We would be delighted to help you too.

Most surgeons will plan hip surgery using special templating software and up-to-date X-rays or scans. These are used to make sure you will get a well-functioning hip replacement.

In the surgery, a cut is made to allow access to your hip joint. Any remaining cartilage is removed from the hip socket (acetabulum) and the head of the femur (the ‘ball’ of the joint) is also removed.

An artificial socket is then positioned in the acetabulum and a spike is placed and secured into the femur. A ball is placed on top of this spike to complete the new artificial ‘ball and socket’ hip joint.

Once the hip replacement has been tested and any adjustments made, the skin is carefully closed with sutures and a dressing applied. The muscles surrounding the hip hold the new hip joint securely in position.

The operation normally takes around an hour and half, but exact timings depend on a range of factors.

Guide prices for all the treatments offered at The Clementine Churchill Hospital can be seen on the treatment prices page.

For your peace of mind, you will always receive written confirmation of the fixed-price fee after your consultation and once any diagnostic tests have been carried out. You won’t need to worry about any unexpected charges.

Here are just five of the many reasons people choose to have their private hip replacement surgery with us at The Clementine Churchill in Harrow:

1. Expertise – Leading orthopaedic surgeons work in the hospital, which is located just a short drive from Harrow town centre. Every consultant keeps up to date with the latest techniques and advances in hip replacement surgery to ensure they provide you with the very highest standards of care. The hip implants used in the hospital are well known and reliable, performing well in National Joint Registries around the world.
2. Rapid access – We can arrange a private consultation with a consultant of your choice quickly. During your consultation, you’ll be able to talk with them about any hip concerns you have. If treatment is needed, whether non-operative or operative, you won’t experience long delays. Waiting times for hip replacement surgery do vary, but our streamlined process means you will be seen quickly.
3. Superb facilities – The Clementine Churchill is the largest private hospital in the local area, and you will benefit from fast access to an experienced consultant, modern diagnostic equipment, advanced surgical options, an enhanced recovery pathway and extensive facilities.
4. Depth of experience – We carry out a very large number of hip replacements and our consultants are highly experienced. Every step of your treatment is part of a well-rehearsed and efficient pathway, and you will benefit from having our experienced staff helping you throughout your time with us.
5. A tailored recovery – The benefits of hip replacement surgery are best seen with a proper, comprehensive recovery, and we will be with you for this. When you are discharged from the ward, you will be given a number to call if you have any concerns at any time.

An experienced physiotherapy team will help you throughout your recovery, and our hydrotherapy pool is often particularly beneficial with this. A specialised wound review clinic is available, and you will have follow-up appointments with your consultant to review your recovery and to answer any questions or concerns you may have. 

People living in and around Harrow trust us with their care for a number of reasons. Many have been referred to us by their GP, physiotherapist, sports physiotherapist, osteopath, or other healthcare professional. Others are referred to us by their private health care provider.

Hip replacement surgery is available in Harrow for people with private health insurance and those who choose to self-pay to avoid months of debilitating pain and stiffness in their hip.

Whether you have been struggling with a hip problem for many years or your symptoms are relatively new, we can help you access the support you need. Our specialist hip team have helped many thousands of people in Harrow just like you, who were finding their hip pain incredibly hard to cope with.

We understand how frustrating and demoralising it can be to be so limited in the things you can do because of a hip problem. We also know how beneficial the right treatment can be. As Mr El-Tawil says: “Hip replacement can be a life-changing intervention.”

If you would like to discuss hip surgery with one of our consultants, you can book a private consultation online, or call us to speak with a friendly member of our advisory team. 

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

¹ Population estimates, Harrow Council: https://www.harrow.gov.uk/council/population-estimates

² Harrow local economic assessment, Harrow council: https://www.harrow.gov.uk/downloads/file/27931/population