The analysis, covering the travel distances for over 3.5 million episodes of private healthcare in the UK between 2021 and 2024, reveals that UK patients travelled an average of 15.5 miles to reach private hospital services. However, the report uncovers significant disparities depending on location.

Patients in Northern Ireland travelled the furthest, averaging 36.3 miles, while those in London had the shortest journeys at just 6.0 miles.

There were shorter travel distances across England (14.1 miles) compared to Wales (22.8 miles) and Scotland (29.4 miles).

The availability of private hospital sites strongly influenced travel distances, with London and the South East offering the highest number of facilities (244 between them) and therefore the shortest travel distances.

The report also highlights how patient characteristics affect travel:

• Younger adults (20–29 years) were most likely to travel longer distances, while those aged 90+ travelled the least.
• Patients with multiple or severe health conditions tended to use local services, travelling shorter distances.
• People living in more deprived areas faced longer journeys, as private hospitals are more commonly located in less deprived districts.

When it comes to medical specialties, the average distance travelled varied widely. For example, patients seeking plastic surgery travelled an average of 29.4 miles, more than double the distance for gastroenterology (11.6 miles). Highly specialised services, such as paediatric neurosurgery or allergy treatment, sometimes required journeys of over 250 miles.

For the most common procedures, such as cataract surgery, hip and knee replacements, and chemotherapy, the average travel distance ranged from 10.7 to 14.6 miles – below the national average. However, on rare occasions patients travelled over 600 miles.

Richard Wells, Director of Technology and Insights, commented:

"This report provides vital evidence on the accessibility of private healthcare across the UK. While most patients can access common procedures within a reasonable distance, there remain challenges for those needing specialist care. Our findings highlight the importance of improving the distribution of services to ensure equitable access for all and to truly allow patient choice.

“Patients wanting to find out more about their options in the private sector should visit our independent and free-to-use website – www.phin.org.uk where they can find profiles of the 650+ hospitals and clinics offering private diagnosis and treatment."

The report concludes that as patients age and are more likely to require repeat admissions, proximity to private hospitals becomes increasingly important. PHIN calls for continued efforts to enhance the accessibility of private healthcare, so that all patients – regardless of location or procedure – can receive timely and convenient care.