Private Hospitals in Middlesbrough: Every Option Compared
Middlesbrough has one private hospital in the town itself: Ramsay’s Tees Valley Hospital in Acklam. Within a short drive are Nuffield Health Tees in Norton, Stockton, and Circle’s Woodlands Hospital in Darlington, and James Cook University Hospital also takes private patients. This guide compares all four, with CQC ratings, what each does best, typical costs and how insurance works with them.
Quick Answer
The private hospital in Middlesbrough is Tees Valley Hospital, run by Ramsay Health Care on Church Lane, Acklam. It is a modern hospital, opened in 2018, treating both private and NHS patients, with MRI and CT on site. If you have searched for “Ramsay private hospital Middlesbrough”, this is the one; our guide to Ramsay Health Care in the UK covers the group.
The main alternative is Nuffield Health Tees Hospital in Norton, Stockton, strong on orthopaedics, spinal care and urology. Circle’s Woodlands Hospital in Darlington is the third option, and South Tees Hospitals offers private care at James Cook. None of them runs an A&E for private patients; emergencies go to James Cook via 999.
On this page
- Teesside’s private hospitals at a glance
- Ramsay Tees Valley Hospital, Middlesbrough
- Nuffield Health Tees Hospital, Stockton
- Circle Woodlands Hospital, Darlington
- Private care at James Cook University Hospital
- What private treatment costs
- Using health insurance on Teesside
- Further afield: Newcastle, Sunderland, York
- Frequently asked questions
Teesside’s Private Hospitals at a Glance
| Hospital | Where | Best known for | CQC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tees Valley Hospital (Ramsay) | Church Lane, Acklam, TS5 7DX | Orthopaedics, general surgery, gynaecology, urology; NHS and private | Good |
| Nuffield Health Tees | Junction Road, Norton, Stockton, TS20 1PX | Orthopaedics, spinal, urology, robotic knee surgery | Good |
| Woodlands Hospital (Circle) | Morton Park, Darlington, DL1 4PL | Surgery, imaging including MRI, on-site GP | Good |
| James Cook University Hospital | Marton Road, Middlesbrough (NHS) | Private care across 37+ specialties, with critical care | NHS trust |
Ramsay Tees Valley Hospital, Middlesbrough
Tees Valley Hospital opened in February 2018 on Church Lane in Acklam, replacing the former Tees Valley Treatment Centre. Ramsay lists:
- 19 en-suite inpatient rooms, 12 day-case pods and three laminar flow theatres
- Orthopaedics, general surgery, gynaecology, urology, dermatology, pain management, rheumatology and cosmetic surgery
- MRI and CT, plus X-ray and ultrasound; see the diagnostics hub for scan prices and options
- Physiotherapy on site, and free parking
It treats both NHS patients, referred through the NHS e-Referral Service, and private patients who are insured or paying for themselves. The CQC rates it Good in every category, and on PHIN 98% of 7,141 patients rated their experience very good or good. Children are welcome as visitors if supervised; check with the hospital about treatment for under-18s.
Nuffield Health Tees Hospital, Stockton
Nuffield Health Tees is on Junction Road in Norton, Stockton-on-Tees, a short drive from Middlesbrough. Its core specialties are orthopaedics, spinal care and urology, with joint replacement, ROSA robotic-assisted knee surgery and HoLEP for an enlarged prostate. It added two new theatres in 2024, offers MRI, CT, breast screening and ultrasound, and has free parking, though spaces can be limited at busy times.
The CQC rates it Good, and it holds a National Joint Registry Gold Award for orthopaedic care. Full details are in our Nuffield Health Tees Hospital guide.
Circle Woodlands Hospital, Darlington
Woodlands Hospital at Morton Park, Darlington (DL1 4PL), is about 15 miles from Middlesbrough and is run by Circle Health Group, not Ramsay. PHIN lists 38 beds, four theatres, MRI scanning, an on-site GP service and free parking, and 96% of 3,029 patients rated their experience very good or good. The CQC rates it Good.
Name check: Circle’s Woodlands in Darlington is not the same as Ramsay’s Woodland Hospital, which is in Kettering, Northamptonshire. If you are comparing the big hospital groups, see Spire vs Circle and BMI (now Circle) hospitals.
Private Care at James Cook University Hospital
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust runs James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough and the Friarage in Northallerton, and offers private care across more than 37 specialties. Private patients are cared for on the ward that matches their condition, and the trust’s intensive and critical care is on hand, which is useful for complex surgery that a smaller private hospital may not take on.
The trust suggests using PHIN to find which consultants see private patients, and enquiries go to its private services team. Self-pay patients pay before treatment. Insured patients need to confirm cover with their insurer first, because a policy may only pay part of the cost. How NHS and private care fit together is explained in mixing NHS and private treatment.
What Private Treatment Costs in Middlesbrough
Most providers quote per procedure. These are market-typical ranges, not quotes:
| Treatment | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial consultant appointment | £150–£250 | Confirm when booking |
| MRI scan (one area) | £300–£500 | MRI at all three private hospitals |
| Cataract surgery (per eye) | £2,000–£3,500 | Lens choice changes the price; see private cataract surgery |
| Hernia repair | £2,500–£4,000 | Usually a day case |
| Hip or knee replacement | £12,000–£16,000 | Fixed-price packages are common |
North East prices are generally below London. Get a fixed price in writing and check what is excluded, such as scans, implants and follow-ups. Our national private hospital price list is a useful benchmark, and the private room cost guide explains what the room adds. Spreading the cost is covered in interest-free credit for private healthcare.
Using Health Insurance on Teesside
- Check your hospital list. Most major insurers work with Ramsay, Nuffield and Circle, but cheaper policies use restricted lists. Hospitals outside London usually sit on the cheaper tiers; see hospital list tiers outside London, and our Bupa, AXA, Aviva and Vitality list guides.
- Get pre-authorisation from your insurer before booking anything.
- Self-paying one procedure can make sense. Insurance is more useful for the open-ended route of diagnosis, treatment and follow-up, as long as the policy is in place first. See is private health insurance worth it?
- On an NHS waiting list? See how to jump the NHS waiting list and NHS waiting times: private options. Tees Valley Hospital also treats NHS patients, so it may be offered as a choice at referral.
Further Afield: Newcastle, Sunderland, York
For specialist treatment not offered locally, or if your hospital list points elsewhere:
- Newcastle: Nuffield Health Newcastle Hospital, plus private MRI, CT scans and ultrasound in Newcastle.
- Sunderland and Washington: Spire Washington Hospital.
- North Yorkshire: private hospitals in York, Nuffield Health York, private hospitals in Harrogate and Spire Harrogate Clinic.
For every city we cover, see the private hospitals hub.
FAQs: Private Hospitals in Middlesbrough (2026)
Is there a private hospital in Middlesbrough?
Yes. Ramsay’s Tees Valley Hospital on Church Lane, Acklam (TS5 7DX) is the private hospital in Middlesbrough itself. It opened in February 2018, replacing the former Tees Valley Treatment Centre, and has 19 en-suite inpatient rooms, 12 day-case pods and three laminar flow theatres. It treats both private and NHS patients, covering orthopaedics, general surgery, gynaecology, urology, dermatology, pain management and cosmetic surgery, with MRI, CT, X-ray and ultrasound. The CQC rates it Good. The other main options are Nuffield Health Tees Hospital in Norton, Stockton, and Circle’s Woodlands Hospital in Darlington.
Which is the Ramsay private hospital near Middlesbrough?
It is Tees Valley Hospital in Acklam, Middlesbrough. People sometimes confuse it with Woodlands Hospital in Darlington, but Woodlands is run by Circle Health Group, not Ramsay. There is also a Ramsay hospital called Woodland Hospital, but that one is in Kettering, Northamptonshire, not the North East. On PHIN, 98% of 7,141 patients rated their experience at Tees Valley Hospital as very good or good.
Does James Cook University Hospital take private patients?
Yes. South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough and the Friarage in Northallerton, offers private care across more than 37 specialties. Private patients are cared for on the ward that matches their condition, with the trust’s intensive and critical care available if needed. To find which consultants see private patients, the trust points people to the PHIN website, and enquiries go to its private services team. Self-pay patients pay before treatment; insured patients need to confirm cover with their insurer first, as a policy may only cover part of the cost. Income from private services supports NHS care.
How much does private treatment cost in Middlesbrough?
Most providers quote per procedure. As market-typical ranges rather than quotes: an initial consultant appointment is usually £150 to £250; an MRI scan of one area roughly £300 to £500; cataract surgery £2,000 to £3,500 per eye; hernia repair £2,500 to £4,000; and a hip or knee replacement £12,000 to £16,000. Prices in the North East are generally below London. Always get a fixed price in writing and check what is excluded, such as scans, implants or follow-up appointments.
Important Information
This 2026 guide is independent general information, not medical advice, and nothing here replaces consultation with a GP or qualified clinician. Hospital services, private patient arrangements, CQC ratings, PHIN figures, pricing and insurer recognition reflect providers’, trusts’, the CQC’s and PHIN’s published information at the time of writing and can change, so confirm current details and get quotes in writing before booking treatment. Price ranges not published by providers are UK market-typical indications, not quotes. For urgent concerns use NHS 111, and for emergencies call 999; private hospitals on Teesside do not run emergency departments. Going Private UK is not affiliated with Ramsay Health Care, Nuffield Health, Circle Health Group, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust or any provider 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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