Private Hospitals London 2026: 19 Compared, Costs & Cover
Private Hospitals in London (2026): Every Major Hospital Compared
London has more private hospitals than anywhere else in the UK, from The Wellington and The London Clinic to Cleveland Clinic London and private wings inside NHS hospitals. This guide compares them by area and specialty, explains what London costs, and shows how insurance hospital lists decide which ones you can actually use.
Quick Answer
The best-known private hospitals in London are The Wellington (HCA, St John’s Wood), The London Clinic (independent, Marylebone), Cleveland Clinic London (Belgravia), London Bridge Hospital (HCA), Cromwell Hospital (Bupa) and The Royal Marsden for cancer. The best one for you depends on your condition, where you live, and above all your insurer’s hospital list.
The London catch: many cheaper policies leave out central London hospitals, especially HCA hospitals, or put them on a higher-priced tier. Check the exact hospital is on your list and get pre-authorisation before booking. See which insurers cover HCA hospitals in London.
On this page
London Hospitals by Area
Each area guide lists the private hospitals and clinics in that part of London:
- Central London: Harley Street, Marylebone, Fitzrovia and Belgravia, home to most of the big names.
- North London: St John’s Wood and Highgate, including The Wellington and Highgate Private Hospital.
- South London: London Bridge, Chelsea and Wimbledon.
- East London: the City, Stepney Green and Ilford.
- West London: Kensington and Chelsea, including Cromwell Hospital.
Every Major London Private Hospital
Each hospital name links to our full guide, with services, costs and insurer information.
| Hospital | Run by | Area | Best known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Wellington Hospital | HCA Healthcare UK | St John’s Wood, NW8 | Complex surgery, neurosciences, orthopaedics and cancer care; one of London’s largest private hospitals |
| The London Clinic | Independent (charity) | Marylebone, W1 | Cancer, complex surgery and critical care; one of the UK’s largest independent hospitals |
| Cleveland Clinic London | Cleveland Clinic | Belgravia, SW1 | Cardiology, orthopaedics and complex medicine; opened in 2022 |
| London Bridge Hospital | HCA Healthcare UK | Tooley Street, SE1 | Cardiac, surgical and cancer care beside London Bridge station |
| Cromwell Hospital | Bupa | Kensington, SW5 | Bupa’s London hospital; surgery, orthopaedics, cancer and diagnostics |
| The Royal Marsden Private Care | Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust | Chelsea, SW3 and Sutton | Specialist cancer care at a leading cancer centre |
| The Harley Street Clinic | HCA Healthcare UK | Marylebone, W1 | Cancer and cardiac care |
| The Lister Hospital | HCA Healthcare UK | Chelsea, SW1 | Fertility, surgery and orthopaedics |
| The Portland Hospital | HCA Healthcare UK | Fitzrovia, W1 | Maternity, women’s health and children’s care |
| The Princess Grace Hospital | HCA Healthcare UK | Marylebone, W1 | Orthopaedics, breast care and diagnostics |
| King Edward VII’s Hospital | Independent (charity) | Marylebone, W1 | Orthopaedics, urology and surgery |
| Hospital of St John & St Elizabeth | Independent (charity) | St John’s Wood, NW8 | Orthopaedics and surgery |
| Highgate Private Hospital | Independent | Highgate, N6 | Orthopaedics, surgery and diagnostics for north London |
| London Independent Hospital | Circle Health Group | Stepney Green, E1 | Orthopaedics, surgery and diagnostics for east London |
| Spire London East Hospital | Spire Healthcare | Ilford, Essex border | Surgery and diagnostics for east London and Essex |
| Nuffield Health Parkside Hospital | Nuffield Health | Wimbledon, SW19 | Surgery and diagnostics for south-west London |
| Guy’s and St Thomas’ Private Healthcare | NHS trust private service | Guy’s and St Thomas’, SE1 | Private care at two major NHS teaching hospitals |
| HCA at The Shard | HCA Healthcare UK | London Bridge, SE1 | Outpatients and diagnostics only (no inpatient beds) |
| Bupa Basinghall | Bupa | City, EC2 | Private GP and health assessments (not a hospital) |
Hospital or clinic? Not every London private facility has inpatient beds. HCA at The Shard offers outpatients and diagnostics, and Bupa Basinghall offers private GP appointments and health assessments. Neither can carry out surgery that needs an overnight stay, so check the facility can do your treatment before booking.
Best London Hospitals by Specialty
- Cancer: The Royal Marsden, The London Clinic, The Harley Street Clinic, London Bridge Hospital.
- Heart: Cleveland Clinic London, London Bridge Hospital, The Harley Street Clinic. For tests, see private echocardiograms and heart scans in London.
- Brain and spine: The Wellington, The London Clinic.
- Orthopaedics: The Wellington, Cromwell, King Edward VII’s, The Princess Grace, and outside the centre Highgate and Parkside.
- Maternity and children: The Portland Hospital, plus NHS private units such as the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s.
- Fertility: The Lister Hospital.
- Mental health: London’s private psychiatric hospitals include the Nightingale Hospital in Marylebone and the Priory in Roehampton. See mental health insurance cover for how policies treat it.
Private Care Inside NHS Hospitals
People often ask whether hospitals such as St Thomas’, St Mary’s or the Royal London are private. They are NHS hospitals, but many London NHS trusts also sell private care on the same site:
- Guy’s and St Thomas’: private services at both sites; see Guy’s and St Thomas’ private healthcare.
- The Royal Marsden: private cancer care alongside NHS care; see Royal Marsden Private Care.
- St Mary’s, Paddington: the Lindo Wing, a private maternity unit.
Being treated privately at an NHS site does not affect your NHS care; see mixing NHS and private treatment.
What Private Treatment Costs in London
Central London is usually the most expensive place in the UK for private care. These are market-typical ranges, not quotes:
| Treatment | Typical London range | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Private GP appointment | £80–£150 | Best private GPs in London |
| Specialist consultation | £200–£450 | UK price list |
| MRI scan (one area) | £500–£1,100 | Private MRI in London |
| Day-case surgery | £2,500–£8,000 | Price list |
| Major inpatient surgery | £10,000–£25,000+ | Room and stay costs |
Hospitals in outer London are often cheaper than the West End for the same procedure. Always ask for a fixed written price and check what is excluded, such as scans, implants and follow-up. Spreading the cost is covered in interest-free credit for private healthcare.
Insurance and London Hospitals
London is where hospital lists matter most. Insurers group hospitals into lists or tiers, and central London hospitals, particularly those run by HCA Healthcare UK, are often left off cheaper lists or cost more to include. What to check:
- Is the exact hospital on your list? See the Bupa, AXA, Aviva, Vitality, WPA and The Exeter hospital list guides. For HCA specifically, see insurers and HCA hospitals and AXA and HCA in London.
- Get pre-authorisation before any appointment; see our pre-authorisation guide.
- Check your outpatient limit. London consultations and scans use it up quickly; see outpatient limits.
If you mainly want cover outside central London, a cheaper hospital list may suit you; see hospital list tiers outside London.
London Scans, Tests and GPs
Many people start with a scan, test or GP appointment rather than a hospital stay. Our London guides:
- Scans: MRI, CT, ultrasound, X-ray, PET, DEXA
- Heart: echocardiogram, heart scans
- Gut: colonoscopy, endoscopy
- Tests and GPs: blood tests, best private GPs, private GP membership
- Physio: private physiotherapy in London
How to Choose a Private Hospital in London
- Start with your condition. Match the hospital to what you need, using the specialty list above. For routine orthopaedics or general surgery, many London hospitals are equally suitable.
- Then check your insurance. Your hospital list decides which hospitals are affordable. Check before choosing, not after.
- Consider location. Outer London hospitals in Highgate, Wimbledon, Stepney Green and Ilford can be cheaper and easier to reach than the West End.
- Check it can treat you. Outpatient centres and GP clinics cannot do inpatient surgery.
- Check quality. Look up the hospital’s CQC rating, and for procedures, the consultant’s and hospital’s data on PHIN.
For hospitals outside London, see the private hospitals hub.
FAQs: Private Hospitals in London (2026)
What are the best private hospitals in London?
It depends on what you need treated. Widely recognised London private hospitals include The Wellington Hospital in St John’s Wood (HCA Healthcare UK) for complex surgery and neurosciences, The London Clinic in Marylebone (independent) for cancer and complex care, Cleveland Clinic London in Belgravia for cardiology and specialist medicine, London Bridge Hospital (HCA) for cardiac and surgical care, Cromwell Hospital in Kensington (Bupa), and The Royal Marsden’s private care for cancer. The Portland Hospital (HCA) is best known for maternity and children. For a named hospital, check CQC ratings and whether it is on your insurer’s hospital list before booking.
Are private hospitals in London more expensive?
Generally yes. Central London private hospitals usually cost more than hospitals elsewhere in the UK, and some insurers charge more for policies that include central London hospitals, or only include them on higher-priced hospital lists. As a market-typical guide, a specialist consultation in London often costs £200 to £450, and an MRI scan of one area £500 to £1,100. Outer London hospitals, such as those in Wimbledon, Highgate, Ilford or Stepney, are often cheaper than the West End. Always get a fixed written price.
Does health insurance cover London private hospitals?
Most UK health insurers can cover London private hospitals, but it depends on your hospital list. Cheaper policies often leave out central London hospitals, especially HCA Healthcare UK hospitals such as The Wellington, London Bridge, The Lister, The Portland and The Princess Grace, or put them on a more expensive tier. Before booking in London, check that the exact hospital is on your list and get pre-authorisation from your insurer. Our guide to which insurers cover HCA hospitals in London goes through this in detail.
Is London Bridge Hospital or St Thomas’ Hospital private?
London Bridge Hospital is a private hospital run by HCA Healthcare UK on Tooley Street, SE1. St Thomas’ and Guy’s are NHS hospitals run by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, but private care is also offered there: HCA runs private patient services at Guy’s, and the trust has its own private healthcare service. So you can be treated privately at an NHS hospital site in London. The same is true at several other London NHS hospitals, such as St Mary’s in Paddington, whose Lindo Wing is a private maternity unit.
What is the best private maternity hospital in London?
The Portland Hospital in Fitzrovia, run by HCA Healthcare UK, is London’s best-known dedicated private maternity and children’s hospital. Several NHS hospitals also have private maternity units, such as the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington. Standard health insurance does not usually cover routine pregnancy and birth; some policies offer limited cover for complications. Private maternity is normally paid for as a self-pay package, so compare what each package includes.
Important Information
This 2026 guide is independent general information, not medical, financial or insurance advice, and nothing here replaces consultation with a GP or qualified clinician. Hospital services, ownership, private patient arrangements and insurer recognition reflect providers’ published information at the time of writing and change, so confirm current details directly before booking. Price ranges are UK market-typical indications, not quotes; always get a written price. Private hospitals in London do not replace NHS emergency care: in an emergency call 999 or go to A&E. Going Private UK is not affiliated with any hospital or insurer named. If you compare insurance quotes through this site, we may receive a commission from our FCA-regulated partners at no cost to you; this does not influence our guides.
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