Private Hospitals in Brighton & Hove (2026): The Montefiore vs Nuffield, Costs & Insurance
Brighton & Hove has two main private hospitals — and they’re genuinely different. The Montefiore in Hove is CQC-rated Outstanding and sits minutes from both stations; Nuffield Health Brighton up at Woodingdean is the city’s long-established name for orthopaedics, eyes and spines. Here’s how they compare, what treatment costs, and what Brighton doesn’t offer privately.
Quick Answer
Brighton & Hove’s private care runs through two hospitals: The Montefiore Hospital in Hove (Spire Healthcare, CQC Outstanding) and Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital in Woodingdean (CQC Good). Both are recognised by all the major insurers, both welcome self-pay, and both handle planned care — consultations, diagnostics and surgery — not emergencies.
Choosing between them usually comes down to the consultant and the procedure: the Montefiore brings the higher CQC rating, a central location and robotic-assisted orthopaedics; Nuffield brings its specialist focus on orthopaedics, eye care, spinal and cosmetic surgery. For anything Brighton doesn’t offer privately — A&E, maternity, inpatient mental health — the honest picture is further down the page.
On this page
The Two Private Hospitals in Brighton & Hove, Compared
| The Montefiore Hospital | Nuffield Health Brighton | |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | Spire Healthcare | Nuffield Health (the UK’s largest healthcare charity) |
| Location | Montefiore Road, Hove BN3 1RD — central, walkable from Hove & Brighton stations | Warren Road, Woodingdean BN2 6DX — east of the city |
| CQC rating | Outstanding | Good |
| Opened | 2012 | 1995 at Woodingdean (originally in Hove from 1976) |
| Known for | Multidisciplinary care, robotic-assisted orthopaedics, cosmetic procedures | Orthopaedics, eye care, spinal surgery, cosmetic surgery |
| Rooms | 20 private en-suite rooms, 3 laminar-flow theatres | Modern en-suite patient rooms |
| Patients | Insured, self-pay and NHS | Insured, self-pay and NHS |
Both are planned-care hospitals — neither runs an A&E. And a practical note that matters more than it sounds: the choice between them often isn’t yours to make in the abstract, because many consultants practise at one but not the other. Picking the specialist frequently picks the hospital. For the national picture on the two operators, see Spire vs Nuffield Health.
The Montefiore Hospital, Hove
The headline: a CQC Outstanding rating in the heart of Hove
Opened by Spire Healthcare in 2012 in a landmark converted building on Montefiore Road, the Montefiore is one of the relatively few UK private hospitals rated Outstanding by the CQC. It’s a genuinely multidisciplinary hospital — orthopaedics (including robotic-assisted joint surgery), general surgery, gynaecology, urology, men’s health, cosmetic procedures — with imaging and diagnostics on site, 20 en-suite rooms and three operating theatres with laminar flow for orthopaedic work.
Getting there: it’s about a 15-minute walk from either Hove or Brighton station, with the number 7 bus stopping directly outside. One local catch worth knowing: there’s no patient parking on site — there’s a drop-off point at the entrance and pay-and-display street parking nearby, but the small attached car park isn’t for patients and is enforced.
Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital
The long-established name, up at Woodingdean
Nuffield’s Brighton hospital traces back to 1976 in Hove, moving to its larger purpose site on Warren Road, Woodingdean in 1995. Rated Good by the CQC and run by the UK’s largest healthcare charity, its specialist focus covers orthopaedics, eye care, spinal surgery and cosmetic surgery, backed by modern diagnostics and en-suite patient rooms. Being out of the centre, it suits car journeys from across Brighton, the Downs villages and along the coast.
We’ve covered this hospital in detail — prices, parking and visiting included — in our dedicated guide: Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital.
What Private Treatment Costs in Brighton
Exact prices depend on the procedure and consultant, but Brighton broadly follows national ranges — useful for judging any quote you’re given:
| Treatment | Indicative UK cost |
|---|---|
| Initial consultation | £150–£350 |
| MRI scan | £350–£900 |
| Diagnostic ultrasound | £100–£350 |
| Hip replacement (package) | £11,000–£17,000 |
| Knee replacement (package) | £13,000–£18,000 |
These are national indicative ranges, not figures quoted by either hospital — always request an exact written all-inclusive quote covering the consultant, anaesthetist, theatre and follow-up, and where a procedure is offered at both hospitals, comparing the two quotes is a five-minute job that occasionally saves four figures. The full national picture is in our private hospital price list.
Insurance & Hospital Lists
Both hospitals are recognised by all major insurers
Bupa, AXA, Aviva, Vitality and WPA all recognise the Montefiore and Nuffield Brighton. As always, three things decide whether you’re covered: your specific plan and hospital list tier, the treatment being eligible and not pre-existing (insurance covers new conditions arising after you join — it buys the diagnostic journey, not a lifetime of care), and pre-authorisation before you book. Consultant recognition can vary independently of the hospital, so it’s worth confirming your chosen specialist is recognised by your insurer at that specific site.
Weighing whether cover makes sense for planned treatment like this? The honest maths is in is private health insurance worth it.
The Honest Bit: What Brighton Doesn’t Have Privately
Three things people search for that the city’s private hospitals don’t provide — worth knowing before ringing round:
No private A&E
Neither hospital is an emergency department — UK private hospitals do planned care. For emergencies in Brighton & Hove it’s 999 or the Royal Sussex County Hospital. The wider picture is in is there a private A&E?
No private maternity unit
Brighton has no dedicated private maternity hospital; NHS maternity runs through the Royal Sussex. Families set on fully private maternity generally look to London — The Portland Hospital is the best-known dedicated unit, about an hour away by train.
No inpatient mental health at these hospitals
The Montefiore and Nuffield Brighton are medical-surgical hospitals. Private mental health care in the city typically runs through clinics and consulting rooms — psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists seen as outpatients. Costs and access routes are in private mental health assessment & therapy costs.
Nearby Alternatives
Along the coast, Goring Hall Hospital in Worthing adds a third full-service private hospital within easy reach of west Brighton and Shoreham. And for rare or highly specialised work, London’s concentration of private hospitals is about an hour by train — the options are mapped in private hospitals in London. For diagnostics without a hospital visit at all, Brighton has standalone options too: private MRI Brighton, private blood tests Brighton and private GPs in Brighton & Hove.
FAQs: Private Hospitals in Brighton & Hove (2026)
What private hospitals are in Brighton and Hove?
Brighton and Hove has two main private hospitals. The Montefiore Hospital on Montefiore Road, Hove (BN3 1RD) is run by Spire Healthcare, opened in 2012, and is rated Outstanding by the CQC — a rating relatively few private hospitals hold. Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital on Warren Road, Woodingdean (BN2 6DX) is run by the Nuffield Health charity, moved to its current larger site in 1995, and is rated Good. Both are recognised by the major insurers and welcome self-pay patients, and both offer consultations, diagnostics and surgery rather than emergency care.
Which is better — the Montefiore or Nuffield Health Brighton?
It genuinely depends on the treatment and, above all, the consultant. On paper the Montefiore holds the higher CQC rating (Outstanding versus Good) and a central Hove location near both stations, with strengths including robotic-assisted orthopaedic surgery. Nuffield Brighton, up at Woodingdean, has a specialist focus on orthopaedics, eye care, spinal and cosmetic surgery and the backing of the UK’s largest healthcare charity. Many consultants practise at one but not the other, so in practice the choice often follows the specialist — it’s worth checking where the consultant you want actually operates, and comparing a written quote from each.
Is there a private A&E in Brighton?
No. Neither the Montefiore nor Nuffield Health Brighton is an emergency department — private hospitals in the UK handle planned, consultant-led care, not emergencies. For anything urgent in Brighton and Hove, call 999 or go to the NHS emergency department at the Royal Sussex County Hospital. Where private care helps is what comes after the emergency is stabilised, or instead of a long NHS wait for planned treatment: fast consultations, diagnostics and surgery on a booked timetable.
How much does private treatment cost in Brighton?
Brighton prices broadly follow national ranges: an initial consultation around £150–£350, an MRI scan £350–£900, an ultrasound £100–£350, and major joint surgery such as a hip replacement typically £11,000–£17,000 or a knee replacement £13,000–£18,000. These are indicative national figures rather than quotes from either hospital — the exact price depends on the procedure, the consultant and what’s included, so it’s worth requesting a written all-inclusive quote (consultant, anaesthetist, theatre and follow-up) before committing, and comparing both hospitals where the procedure is offered at each.
Do Bupa, AXA and Aviva cover Brighton’s private hospitals?
Yes — both the Montefiore and Nuffield Health Brighton are recognised by the major UK insurers including Bupa, AXA, Aviva, Vitality and WPA. As always, three things decide whether a specific claim is covered: your plan and its hospital list tier, the treatment being eligible and not pre-existing (insurance covers new conditions arising after you join), and getting pre-authorisation before booking. It’s also worth confirming your chosen consultant is recognised by your insurer at that specific hospital, since consultant recognition can vary independently of the hospital itself.
Can I use Brighton’s private hospitals without insurance?
Yes — both hospitals welcome self-pay patients, and it’s a large part of what they do. The usual route is a GP or private GP referral (some services allow self-referral), an initial consultation, then a written quote for any treatment recommended. The rule that saves stress: get the all-in cost in writing — consultant, anaesthetist, theatre time and follow-up — before committing, and ask about fixed-price packages so a longer stay or extra visit doesn’t become a surprise bill.
Is there a private maternity hospital in Brighton?
No — neither the Montefiore nor Nuffield Health Brighton offers private maternity, and Brighton has no dedicated private maternity unit. NHS maternity care in the city runs through the Royal Sussex County Hospital. Families set on fully private maternity generally look to London, where dedicated private maternity is available — The Portland Hospital is the best-known example, roughly an hour from Brighton by train. Some private extras, such as additional scans, are available locally through independent clinics.
Do Brighton’s private hospitals treat mental health?
Not as inpatient facilities — the Montefiore and Nuffield Brighton are medical and surgical hospitals, not psychiatric hospitals. Private mental health care in Brighton and Hove typically runs through clinics and consulting rooms instead: private psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists offering assessments and ongoing treatment, usually as outpatient appointments. Costs and how to access private mental health support, with or without insurance, are covered in our dedicated guide.
Important Information
Going Private UK is editorially independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by Spire Healthcare, Nuffield Health or any hospital named above. This guide is general information, not medical or financial advice. Prices are indicative national ranges for UK private healthcare, not figures quoted by these hospitals; always confirm exact costs, services, current CQC ratings and insurance acceptance with the hospital and your insurer before booking. Health insurance covers eligible new conditions arising after you join, not pre-existing ones. Private hospitals are not emergency departments — in an emergency call 999 or attend your nearest NHS A&E. If you compare quotes through this site, we may receive a commission from our FCA-regulated partners at no cost to you; this does not influence our guidance.
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