NHS Orthopaedic Waits Push British Workers Out of Jobs
Photo by Dom J, Pexels.com
In the UK, over 800,000 people are waiting for orthopaedic treatment. For many workers, the delay means long spells away from work or even early retirement. Musculoskeletal pain costs employers around £3.36 billion each year.
October 2, 2025. 7.36 million people are on the NHS waiting list now; trauma and orthopaedics are the main causes of the largest backlogs, exceeding 800,000 patients in 2024. Patients needing a hip or knee replacement often wait longer than half a year. Many lose their ability to keep working during that time. Each month of waiting adds more pain, deformity, and risk of lasting mobility loss, surgeons warn.
People in constant pain often cut their hours, and some leave work altogether.UK workers lost 148.9 million workdays due to sickness or injury in 2024. Musculoskeletal problems made up 15.5% of those days, which is around 23.1 million lost ones.
That much time off work results in increased costs for both employees and employers. Based on a median weekly pay of £728 in April 2024, or about £146 a day. At that rate, musculoskeletal absences cost the UK economy around £3.36 billion a year.
Risks of delayed surgery
The biggest percentage of people waiting are orthopaedic patients. In some UK regions, more than 3,000 people had to wait for an operation for over a year. On average, the waiting time is 28.7 weeks. For many, that means worsening pain, restricted mobility, and weaker supporting muscles. Surgeons warn that the longer the delay, the higher the chance of permanent problems. Those range from joint deformity and stiffness to loss of bone mass.
“Extended delays limit mobility and force patients to rely on pain medication for longer. When anti-inflammatory drugs stop working, many turn to opioids,” said Sarunas Tarasevicius, MD, orthopaedic surgeon at Nordorthopaedics Clinic. “Opioids are stronger, but they carry the risk of addiction. That dependency affects both physical and mental well-being, and it only grows the longer people are left without surgery.”
Medication use has more risks. “Prolonged use of anti-inflammatory drugs raises the chance of stomach bleeding, while untreated arthrosis can cause permanent bone loss. In those cases, surgeons must use more metal implants to rebuild bone structure, which increases both the scale and cost of surgery,” added Tarasevicius.
The physical toll is severe too. Patients trying to protect a painful joint often shift weight to the other leg.
“Over time, this can cause pelvic tilt, back pain, and spinal changes. Muscles around the damaged joint weaken, making post-surgery recovery slower and more difficult. If the operation is delayed too long, muscle atrophy sets in and the surgery itself becomes more complex,” Tarasevicius explained.
Pain does not only affect the body. Patients often reduce hours at work or leave jobs entirely when they can no longer manage the demands of daily tasks. “This is especially true for people in physical roles. Pain makes work almost impossible, but it also affects everyday life – from housework to simple movement,” elaborated Tarasevicius.
Some patients try to cope by reducing activity, since joints hurt less when not under load. Yet this strategy comes with its own cost, as inactivity speeds up muscle wasting and further reduces mobility.
“A shadow of my former self”
Anne Hyde, a resident of Norwich, needed a right hip replacement after an accident in 2016 that had gone undiagnosed. By 2021, her mobility had collapsed – she relied on a walking stick, needed workplace adjustments, and often worked from home. Driving was painful, walking her dog was no longer possible, and her dependence on Tramadol grew. “At 57 I felt like a shadow of my former self,” the 61-year-old woman said.
Told that an “urgent” operation would still mean waiting about a year, Anne began looking at private options. The cost in the UK was close to £15,000 with little aftercare. Research and contact with past patients led her to Nordorthopaedics Clinic in Lithuania, where she had already travelled before. “I spent less than half the UK price and was supported from the airport through to flying home 13 days later,” Anne explained. Her GP later removed the staples and praised the quality of the surgical work. “I would not hesitate to recommend the decision I made to anyone in the same position.”
A faster route for patients
Nordorthopaedics Clinic reports that patients can usually undergo surgery within two to four weeks, compared to months of waiting in UK hospitals, including private providers. Hip and knee replacements remain the most common procedures, followed by rehabilitation and physiotherapy carried out on site.
Demand for orthopaedic care in Lithuania has risen steadily in recent years, as patients in countries with longer waiting times seek alternatives. Surgeons note that intervening in time not only reduces pain but also helps people retain their work and soften the economic burden.
“Timely surgery restores function and protects employment. It is always better to treat the joint before the cascade of problems begins,” concluded Tarasevicius.
ABOUT NORDORTHOPAEDICS
Nordorthopaedics is a private clinic in Kaunas, Lithuania, part of Nordclinic, offering high-quality services and focusing on foreign patients. It is equipped with modern diagnostic and surgical facilities. Medical professionals at the clinic speak fluent English and show personal attention to every patient. www.nordorthopaedics.com/en.
