Waits for knee replacement surgery

Request 856396850​

Please supply the waiting time for a partial Knee replacement. Please supply the approximate waiting in time in weeks and months for this procedure

Also please supply the number of people waiting for this medical procedure

Waiting time for a partial and whole knee operation. Time for private care and time for normal care.

Thanks very much.

Response

Data for patients awaiting elective total or partial knee replacement as at 06 August 2026 are detailed in Table 1. Patients have been identified based on the intended procedure they have been waitlisted for. Figures are provided for the number of people waiting according to their assessed clinical priority, split by ‘Public’ and ‘Private’, as recorded.

The public / private classification is based on a patient's administrative category at the time they are added to the waiting list. An individual’s classification may change from public to private or from private to public ahead of treatment​

Table 1: Number of people waiting for knee replacement surgery at 06 August 2026​

Clinical priority is determined through triage, the process by which referrals are sorted and prioritised by urgency. Surgical waiting lists are triaged, prioritised and scheduled according to clinical need and chronological order, as determined by the relevant consultant or surgical team. Patients who are assessed as requiring ‘Urgent’ surgery are prioritised, ensuring that those with red flag symptoms or time-critical conditions are seen by the appropriate specialist team ahead of those assessed as ‘Routine'.

Information on referrals and triage, including the prioritisation of appointments, is available on www.gov.je at Hospital waiting lists.​

The median* (average) time patients waited for elective knee replacement surgery from the date they were listed for treatment to the date they completed their procedure are detailed in Table 2. A breakdown of waiting times according to assessed clinical priority is included.

This analysis reports the waiting times experienced by public patients who underwent surgery in the 12 month period to 31 July 2026; this measure reflects the established wait experienced by patients who have completed treatment and may differ from that of patients who remain awaiting treatment.​

Table 2: Median waiting time (weeks) for knee replacement, 01 August 2025 to 31 July 2026

Data source: Hospital Patient Administration System

* Median Waiting Time: The median wait is calculated by arranging each patient's waiting time in order, and then selecting the waiting time of the person at the mid-point of that order.  It indicates that half of the patients waited less than the shown number of weeks and half of the patients waited longer.

Health and Care Jersey aim to provide timely and co-ordinated care for all patients, and cases are managed according to both clinical need and pathway capacity. 

Assessed clinical priority is a key influence on the waiting time that each person listed for surgery will experience. Other factors, such as service demand within the surgical specialty, availability of beds for inpatient care, and staff availability (or absence) can all impact upon capacity and lead to longer waiting times for those already listed, as well as those awaiting surgical assessment.

The Trauma and Orthopaedics specialty now has a full complement of five consultants, following the recent employment of a new consultant surgeon who is a specialist in lower limb surgery. The specialty is also supported by the Medical Director working as a Trauma and Orthopaedic surgeon. 

If patients feel that their symptoms are deteriorating while they wait, it is recommended that they contact their GP for reassessment. Should their clinical condition warrant it, the GP can request that the appointment or procedure be expedited to ensure timely review and intervention.