A knee replacement replaces damaged parts of the knee joint with metal or plastic parts. It can replace the whole joint (total knee replacement) or part of it (partial knee replacement). It is most often done for pain and stiffness caused by osteoarthritis, when other treatments have not helped.
Full recovery can take several months or more, and a knee replacement can last for 25 years. All knee replacements in England, NHS and private, are recorded in the National Joint Registry, which publishes outlier status for revision (repeat surgery) rates for total, partial (unicondylar) and kneecap (patellofemoral) replacements.
Hospitals in the South West
36 hospitals in the South West with published figures. Sorted by name. This is not a ranking: read how to read this first.
The NJR open data gives one total per hospital for all joint replacements (hips, knees, ankles, elbows and shoulders) together. It does not split hips from knees.
| Hospital | Volume bandJoint replacements, all joints, 2025 (NJR) | Key outcomeNJR outlier status | Waiting timeWhole trust | Patient experience | CQC rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath ClinicPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 1,000 or more1,060 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 826, 2024: 897 | Identified as an outlier: Total knee 10-year revisionEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for Bath Clinic) |
| Bristol Royal InfirmaryNHS · Bristol NHS Foundation Trust | Fewer than 400195 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 94, 2024: 181 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 13.8 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 62.6% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.3 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Requires improvement (CQC report for Bristol Royal Infirmary) |
| Cheltenham General HospitalNHS · Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 1,000 or more1,774 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 1,573, 2024: 1,761 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 17.1 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 52.1% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.5 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Good (CQC report for Cheltenham General Hospital) |
| Derriford HospitalNHS · University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust | 1,000 or more1,250 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 625, 2024: 1,098 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| Not published for this specialty | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.2 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Requires improvement (CQC report for Derriford Hospital) |
| Dorset County HospitalNHS · Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | 750 to 999957 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 605, 2024: 865 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 19.4 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 46.1% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.3 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Good (CQC report for Dorset County Hospital) |
| Duchy HospitalPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 1,000 or more1,315 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for Duchy Hospital) |
| Gloucestershire Royal HospitalNHS · Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 400 to 749670 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 417, 2024: 624 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 17.1 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 52.1% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.5 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Requires improvement (CQC report for Gloucestershire Royal Hospital) |
| Great Western HospitalNHS · Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | 1,000 or more1,502 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 989, 2024: 1,418 | Identified as an outlier: Total knee 10-year revisionMore measures
| 18.3 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 49.4% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Good (CQC report for Great Western Hospital) |
| The Harbour HospitalPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 400 to 749512 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 425, 2024: 447 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for The Harbour Hospital) |
| Mount Stuart HospitalPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 750 to 999907 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 877, 2024: 876 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for Mount Stuart Hospital) |
| Musgrove Park HospitalNHS · Somerset NHS Foundation Trust | 750 to 999897 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 637, 2024: 889 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 12.7 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 62.8% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.2 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Requires improvement (CQC report for Musgrove Park Hospital) |
| New Hall HospitalPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 1,000 or more1,065 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 1,225, 2024: 1,172 | Identified as an outlier: Total knee 10-year revisionEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for New Hall Hospital) |
| Nightingale Hospital ExeterNHS · Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | 750 to 999755 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 816, 2024: 851 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 18.3 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 49.2% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.4 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Good (CQC report for Nightingale Hospital Exeter) |
| North Devon District HospitalNHS · Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | 750 to 999923 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 846, 2024: 750 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 18.3 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 49.2% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.4 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Requires improvement (CQC report for North Devon District Hospital) |
| Nuffield Health Bournemouth HospitalPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 750 to 999793 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 832, 2024: 818 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital) |
| Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, The ChesterfieldPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 1,000 or more1,178 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 857, 2024: 815 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, The Chesterfield) |
| Nuffield Health Cheltenham HospitalPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 400 to 749426 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 478, 2024: 429 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for Nuffield Health Cheltenham Hospital) |
| Nuffield Health Exeter HospitalPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 750 to 999798 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 755, 2024: 821 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for Nuffield Health Exeter Hospital) |
| Nuffield Health Plymouth HospitalPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 750 to 999933 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 801, 2024: 897 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for Nuffield Health Plymouth Hospital) |
| Poole HospitalNHS · University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust | 400 to 749644 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 304, 2024: 681 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 16.7 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 53.7% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.2 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | No Approved Rating (CQC report for Poole Hospital) |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital, Emersons GreenPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 1,000 or more1,499 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 1,483, 2024: 1,439 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for Practice Plus Group Hospital, Emersons Green) |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital, PlymouthPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 1,000 or more2,533 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 2,268, 2024: 2,449 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth) |
| Practice Plus Group Hospital, Shepton MalletPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 1,000 or more2,108 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 2,048, 2024: 2,007 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for Practice Plus Group Hospital, Shepton Mallet) |
| The Ridgeway HospitalPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 400 to 749435 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 479, 2024: 418 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for The Ridgeway Hospital) |
| Royal Cornwall HospitalNHS · Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust | 400 to 749640 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 386, 2024: 584 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 18 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 50.1% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.1 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Requires improvement (CQC report for Royal Cornwall Hospital) |
| Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, WonfordNHS · Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | 1,000 or more1,518 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 1,261, 2024: 1,808 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 18.3 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 49.2% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.4 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Requires improvement (CQC report for Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Wonford) |
| Royal United Hospital BathNHS · Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust | 750 to 999783 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 757, 2024: 1,059 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 11.8 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 68.8% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.5 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Requires improvement (CQC report for Royal United Hospital Bath) |
| Salisbury District HospitalNHS · Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust | 750 to 999908 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 578, 2024: 733 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 12.3 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 66% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.3 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Requires improvement (CQC report for Salisbury District Hospital) |
| Southmead HospitalNHS · Bristol NHS Foundation Trust | 1,000 or more1,989 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 1,465, 2024: 1,685 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 13.8 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 62.6% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.3 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | No rating |
| Spire Bristol HospitalPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 1,000 or more1,591 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 1,382, 2024: 1,537 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for Spire Bristol Hospital) |
| St Michael's HospitalNHS · Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust | 1,000 or more1,107 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 1,115, 2024: 1,480 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 18 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 50.1% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.1 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Good (CQC report for St Michael's Hospital) |
| Torbay HospitalNHS · Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust | 750 to 999911 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 689, 2024: 704 | Identified as an outlier: Total knee 10-year revisionMore measures
| Not published for this specialty | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.4 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Requires improvement (CQC report for Torbay Hospital) |
| Weston General HospitalNHS · Bristol NHS Foundation Trust | 400 to 749714 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 481, 2024: 581 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 13.8 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 62.6% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.3 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | Insufficient evidence to rate (CQC report for Weston General Hospital) |
| Winfield HospitalPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 750 to 999920 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 793, 2024: 875 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Not Rated (CQC report for Winfield Hospital) |
| The Winterbourne HospitalPrivate hospitalPrivate hospital: NJR figures include privately funded and NHS-funded operations. | 400 to 749747 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 800, 2024: 864 | Not identified as an outlierEach NJR measure
| Not published for private hospitals | Not covered by NHS patient surveys | Good (CQC report for The Winterbourne Hospital) |
| Yeovil District HospitalNHS · Somerset NHS Foundation Trust | 1,000 or more1,065 joint replacements of all kinds recorded in 2025Earlier years: 2023: 688, 2024: 1,028 | Not identified as an outlierMore measures
| 12.7 weeksHalf of people waiting for trauma and orthopaedics had waited less than this. 62.8% waiting under 18 weeks (August 2026) | About the same as other trustsInpatients rated their overall experience 8.2 out of 10 (CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025, whole trust) | No Approved Rating (CQC report for Yeovil District Hospital) |
Across England
In 2025-26, NHS-funded care in England (NHS hospitals and NHS patients treated by independent providers; private patients are not included) recorded 103,876 episodes where the main procedure was total knee replacement (OPCS-4 W40 to W42). 2% were day cases. Half of the people admitted from a waiting list had waited less than about 134 days from the decision to admit them. These are national figures from Hospital Episode Statistics (NHS England, 2025-26, Open Government Licence v3.0); the same detail is not published for each hospital.
Hospitals identified as outliers across the UK in the NJR 2025 file (out of 403): Total Knee 5-year revision: 8; Total Knee 10-year revision: 25; Unicondylar Knee 5-year revision: 2; Unicondylar Knee 10-year revision: 5; Patellofemoral Knee 5-year revision: 1; Patellofemoral Knee 10-year revision: 1.
How to read this
- Not a ranking. The table is in alphabetical order. A higher volume does not on its own mean better care, and we do not combine the columns into a score.
- Volume bands. Cut points are the lower quartile, median and upper quartile of all 398 hospitals that reported to the NJR in 2025 in the published table, rounded. So about a quarter of hospitals that reported to the NJR in 2025 fall in each band. The exact number is shown under the band.
- Risk adjustment. Where a figure says “adjusted”, the audit has allowed for differences in the patients each hospital treats, such as age and other illnesses. Hospitals that take on more complex cases can still look different for reasons the adjustment does not capture.
- Bands and limits. We only say a result is higher or lower than expected when the source itself says so (for example NJR outlier status, NELA funnel limits, SSNAP levels, CQC survey bands). Where the source publishes a rate without limits we show the rate and the national figure, and say “No banding published”.
- Small numbers. A small hospital can have 0% or a high percentage by chance. Figures the source suppresses are shown as “Not published (small numbers)”.
- Trust or hospital. Volumes and outcomes here are for each hospital or team, but waiting times and the CQC inpatient survey are for the whole trust.
- Different periods. Each figure has its own period, shown next to it. Audit results describe operations done one to three years ago; waiting times are updated monthly.
- Private hospitals. NHS waiting times and NHS patient surveys do not cover private hospitals. Private hospital data published by PHIN cannot be republished here without a licence.
- Talk to your GP or consultant about what the figures mean for you. If you are referred for planned care in England, you can usually choose your hospital.
Full definitions: methodology and data dictionary.
Data sources and licences
- National Joint Registry (NJR) transparency data, National Joint Registry / HQIP. Source: National Joint Registry (NJR) transparency data, via data.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Open Government Licence v3.0
- Consultant-led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times, NHS England. Source: NHS England, Referral to Treatment waiting times. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Open Government Licence v3.0
- CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2025 (trust benchmark results), Care Quality Commission. Source: Care Quality Commission, NHS Patient Survey Programme, Adult Inpatient Survey 2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Open Government Licence v3.0
- CQC ratings, Care Quality Commission. CQC ratings: Care Quality Commission. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Open Government Licence v3.0
- Healthcare-associated infections: annual counts and rates by trust (financial year 2025 to 2026), UK Health Security Agency. Source: UK Health Security Agency, healthcare-associated infection annual data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Open Government Licence v3.0
Data last updated 26 October 2026. We do not change the published figures; we only group volumes into bands. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Sources
We checked this guide against these official pages on 26 October 2026.
- Knee replacement: what is a knee replacement? (NHS website)
- Knee replacement: recovery (NHS website)
- National Joint Registry transparency data (data.gov.uk) (National Joint Registry)
- Hospital Admitted Patient Care Activity 2025-26 (NHS England)
- Consultant-led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times 2026-27 (NHS England)
- Adult inpatient survey (Care Quality Commission)
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