Ireland · Knee replacement
HSE knee replacement waiting time vs paying privately or going abroad
Prices checked 26 October 2026 (Taipei time)
Short answer
Orthopaedics as a whole, not knee replacement alone: 14,988 adults on the inpatient/day-case list, 35.2% waiting over 6 months; 82,991 waiting for a first orthopaedic outpatient appointment, 46.4% over 6 months: about 35% waiting over 6 months (all orthopaedic surgery) (Ireland (public hospitals), 24 September 2026). Published prices abroad start at €5,820 in Thailand, before flights and a hotel.
- Official wait
- About 35% waiting over 6 months (all orthopaedic surgery) (24 September 2026)
- Pay at home
- Not verified
- Abroad, before travel
- about €5,820 to €11,610 in 4 countries
- Time abroad
- About 10 to 14 days in many cases: 2 to 4 nights in hospital, then physiotherapy near the clinic until the surgeon says you can fly. Ask for the clinic’s own rule
The official waiting figure
- About 35% waiting over 6 months (all orthopaedic surgery) — Orthopaedics as a whole, not knee replacement alone: 14,988 adults on the inpatient/day-case list, 35.2% waiting over 6 months; 82,991 waiting for a first orthopaedic outpatient appointment, 46.4% over 6 months. Ireland (public hospitals), 24 September 2026. National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).
Irish waiting lists come from the National Treatment Purchase Fund's open data (NTPF). The HSE runs two schemes that can pay towards treatment in the EU; see Will the HSE pay for treatment abroad?
Paying privately in Ireland
We have not yet verified a published self-pay price.
Published prices abroad, in EUR
Converted at the European Central Bank rate and rounded; before flights, hotel and time off work.
| Country | Price range | Difference vs lowest home price |
|---|---|---|
| Knee replacement in Thailand | about €5,820 | — |
| Knee replacement in Poland | about €5,870 to €8,850 | — |
| Knee replacement in Hungary | about €6,410 | — |
| Knee replacement in Mexico | about €11,610 | — |
Add your flight and hotel
Add a return flight and 10 nights to see whether the trip still costs less than paying in Ireland.
When not to travel
- Anyone whose home surgeon has not confirmed that a knee replacement is the right operation.
- Serious heart or lung disease, or a recent blood clot, unless the hospital’s anaesthetist has reviewed you in advance.
- Anyone who cannot keep up daily exercises after surgery or has no help at home.
Next steps
Knee replacement from Ireland: questions
How long is the HSE wait for knee replacements?
About 35% waiting over 6 months (all orthopaedic surgery) (Ireland (public hospitals), 24 September 2026). Orthopaedics as a whole, not knee replacement alone: 14,988 adults on the inpatient/day-case list, 35.2% waiting over 6 months; 82,991 waiting for a first orthopaedic outpatient appointment, 46.4% over 6 months.
How much does a private knee replacement cost in Ireland?
We have not verified a published price yet.
Where abroad is a knee replacement cheapest from Ireland?
Before travel: Thailand about €5,820, Poland about €5,870 to €8,850 and Hungary about €6,410. Add a return flight and 10 nights' hotel to compare the whole trip.
Do I need a referral for a knee replacement abroad?
Clinics differ, but a referral or a letter from your own doctor makes the result far more useful: it says what question the knee replacement should answer, and it means someone at home will act on it.
Sources
- Open data: inpatient/day case waiting list by specialty, 2026. National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- NTPF publishes September 2026 national public hospital waiting list data. National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.