Skip to main content

Orthopaedics · UK

Orthopaedic trauma care - broken bones, fixed properly.

Same-week fracture clinics, fixation of wrist, ankle, clavicle and hand fractures, tendon repair, metalwork removal and non-union revision - a consultant trauma surgeon, with physio-led rehab built in. Major trauma and open fractures? That’s 999 and the NHS, and we’ll always say so.

See indicative pricing
A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What private fracture care costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across our partner orthopaedic units.

In short

£4,500–£8,000, home the same day for most.

Procedure Indicative range
Urgent fracture-clinic consultation (incl. X-ray) £250–£400
Wrist (distal radius) ORIF - plate and screws £4,500–£8,000
Ankle ORIF - plate/screws ± syndesmosis £5,000–£9,000
Clavicle fracture fixation £4,000–£7,500
Hand fracture fixation or tendon repair £3,500–£6,500
Removal of metalwork (plates, screws, nails) £2,500–£5,000
Non-union / malunion revision surgery £7,000–£14,000

Prices vary by hospital, by the consultant, by the implants used, and by whether physiotherapy sessions are bundled into the package. Complex, revision and non-union cases are always the top of the range.

The problem

The right fix, in the right window, with rehab that actually happens.

Fracture care fails quietly in three places - the wait for a specialist opinion, the fixation window that closes, and the physio that never materialises. We fix all three.

  • The window matters

    A displaced wrist fracture heals in whatever position it sits in. After 10–14 days, an anatomic fix gets harder. Same-week review keeps every option open.

  • Does it even need surgery?

    Plenty of fractures do beautifully in a cast or a sling. An independent consultant tells you which yours is - before anyone books a theatre.

  • Fixation without rehab is half an operation

    A perfect X-ray and a stiff, weak limb is not a good outcome.

When it helps

When private trauma care is the right step.

The injuries we see most, plus the one red flag that means 999 and an NHS major trauma centre rather than any private booking.

  • Displaced wrist fracture

    A distal radius fracture out of position - early ORIF restores the joint surface before it heals badly in a cast.

  • Unstable ankle fracture

    A closed bi- or trimalleolar fracture, or one with syndesmosis injury, that needs fixation once swelling allows.

  • Displaced clavicle fracture

    A shortened, tented or comminuted collarbone in an active adult - fixation speeds return to sport and work.

  • Hand fracture or tendon injury

    Metacarpal and finger fractures, and flexor or extensor tendon cuts, where early expert repair protects hand function.

  • Fracture that isn’t healing

    A non-union or malunion months after injury - revision fixation, bone graft or corrective osteotomy by a specialist.

  • Prominent or painful metalwork

    Plates or screws that catch, ache in the cold or irritate tendons once the bone has healed - planned removal is straightforward.

  • Second opinion on an NHS plan

    You’ve been offered a cast, or surgery, and want an independent consultant view - with your imaging reviewed properly.

  • Red flag: open fracture or major trauma

    Bone through the skin, a deformed limb, high-energy injury, numbness or a cold pale foot or hand is a 999/A&E emergency - an NHS major trauma centre, not a private booking.

Care options

From clinic review to revision surgery - the full trauma pathway.

What each option involves - from a same-week opinion with X-ray through fixation of the common fracture patterns to metalwork removal and non-union work.

  • Same-week fracture clinic

    Consultant review with on-site X-ray within days of injury - a plan before swelling and early healing close the window for the best fix.

  • Wrist ORIF

  • Ankle ORIF

    Plate-and-screw fixation of unstable ankle fractures, with syndesmosis stabilisation where needed. Boot and staged weight-bearing after.

  • Clavicle fixation

    Plate fixation of displaced midshaft clavicle fractures - faster union and earlier return to sport than sling treatment in the right patient.

  • Hand and tendon surgery

    Fixation of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures, and primary repair of flexor and extensor tendons with hand-therapy rehab.

  • Removal of metalwork

    Planned removal of plates, screws or nails once the fracture has united - for prominence, pain or irritation. Usually a short day-case.

  • Non-union and malunion revision

    Revision fixation, bone grafting and corrective osteotomy when a fracture has failed to heal or healed crooked.

  • Second opinions and follow-on care

    Independent review of an NHS-managed fracture - imaging re-read, options explained, and private follow-on care if you choose it.

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

Fracture fixation is one of the best-evidenced operations in surgery. The things worth planning are the fixation window, the rehab, and knowing which injuries belong in the NHS instead.

  • GA or regional block, in a proper theatre

    Most fixations are under general anaesthetic or a regional nerve block. Day-case is realistic for wrist, clavicle, hand and most ankle cases.

  • Infection and wound problems

    Deep infection after closed-fracture fixation is uncommon - around 1 percent or less - but matters because metal is involved. Call the same day for fever or a leaking wound.

  • Nerve and tendon irritation

    Numbness near scars is common and usually settles. Plates can irritate tendons - one reason wrist and ankle metalwork is sometimes removed later.

  • DVT and PE after lower-limb injury

    Ankle fractures, boots and casts raise clot risk. We risk-assess everyone and prescribe blood thinners where indicated. Calf pain or breathlessness needs same-day review.

  • Non-union, malunion and metalwork failure

    A small minority of fractures fail to heal or heal short of anatomic. Smoking, diabetes and early overloading raise the risk; revision options exist.

  • Stiffness is the quiet enemy

    Wrists, ankles and fingers stiffen fast in plaster. Early protected movement - guided by a physiotherapist - is why rehab is built into our pathway.

  • Weight-bearing and driving rules

    Ankle ORIF usually means 2–6 weeks of protected weight-bearing in a boot. Driving returns when you can emergency-stop safely - typically 6–8 weeks for a right ankle.

  • What private trauma care is not

    Open fractures, polytrauma, suspected hip fractures in the elderly and anything with vascular compromise belong in the NHS via 999 or A&E - always.

  • Red flags after surgery

    Fever, spreading redness, a wound that leaks, severe pain out of proportion, numbness, a cold pale limb, calf pain or breathlessness need the same-day team or A&E.

Reading your operation note

Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever bone was fixed - wrist, ankle, clavicle or hand - the note the surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK consultant orthopaedic surgeon reviewing a patient’s post-operative X-rays and notes

A quiet reminder

Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the operation note and the check X-rays before your review, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Injury, fixation and approach

    Which bone broke and how, whether it was fixed with a plate, screws or a nail, and the approach the surgeon used to get there.

  2. 02 Technique

    Reduction, implants and stability

    How the fracture was reduced, the exact implants used (useful for airport scanners and future surgery), and how stable the fixation was judged on the table.

  3. 03 Findings

    Bone quality, cartilage and soft tissue

    What the surgeon found - bone quality, any joint-surface damage, tendon or ligament injury repaired at the same sitting.

  4. 04 Impression

    Weight-bearing, rehab and follow-up

    Read this first: when you can load the limb, the splint or boot plan, the physiotherapy milestones, and when the check X-rays are due.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Fracture fixation is usually covered when medically indicated, though acute injuries sometimes fall under emergency exclusions - policies vary. Metalwork removal and physiotherapy sessions may need separate authorisation.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about trauma care.

Quick answers on A&E versus private, fixation windows, metalwork, cost and recovery.

  • Should I go private or to A&E with a broken bone?

    If the bone is through the skin, the limb is deformed, the injury was high-energy, or the hand or foot is numb, cold or pale - call 999 or go straight to A&E. That is major trauma and the NHS major trauma network is the safest place on earth for it. Private trauma care is for stable, closed injuries: a fast fracture-clinic opinion, planned fixation, second opinions and follow-on care.

  • How quickly can I be seen?

    Usually within two to three working days, with X-ray at the same visit. Speed matters for displaced wrist fractures in particular - after 10–14 days early healing makes an anatomic fixation harder, so the earlier the review, the more options stay open.

  • What does ORIF actually mean?

    Open reduction and internal fixation - the surgeon opens the fracture, puts the bone back into anatomic position (reduction) and holds it there with plates, screws or a nail (fixation) so it heals in the right shape. For wrist and ankle fractures involving the joint surface, millimetres matter for long-term arthritis risk.

  • Will my NHS fracture care be affected if I get a private second opinion?

    No. You are free to seek an independent opinion at any point, and you can return to NHS care afterwards. We review your existing imaging, give you a clear consultant view - sometimes that the NHS plan is exactly right - and only arrange private surgery if you choose it.

  • Do plates and screws need to come out later?

    Usually not - most metalwork stays in for life without trouble. Removal is worth considering when a plate is prominent under the skin, irritates tendons (common at the wrist and ankle), aches in the cold, or before certain future operations. It is a short day-case once the bone has fully united, typically £2,500–£5,000.

  • How much does private fracture care cost in the UK?

    An urgent fracture-clinic consultation with X-ray is roughly £250–£400. Fixation packages: £4,500–£8,000 for a wrist ORIF, £5,000–£9,000 for an ankle, £4,000–£7,500 for a clavicle, £3,500–£6,500 for hand surgery, and £7,000–£14,000 for non-union revision.

  • How long is recovery after fracture fixation?

    Wrist ORIF: splint for around 2 weeks, most desk work within 1–2 weeks, grip strength building to 3 months. Ankle ORIF: boot and protected weight-bearing for 2–6 weeks, full activity around 3 months. Clavicle: sling for comfort, return to contact sport typically 8–12 weeks. Physio-led rehab is included and is what turns a healed X-ray into a working limb.

  • Is physiotherapy really included?

    Fixation without rehab is half an operation.

Related treatments

Looking for something else?