How long is the NHS wait for cataract surgery in the M postcode area?

Patients living in the M postcode area (Manchester) are typically referred to Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust or Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust. The current median NHS wait for cataract surgery across these trusts is approximately 15 weeks. The 92nd percentile (long-tail) wait can extend to 44 weeks. There are 18,138 patients currently waiting on the Ophthalmology pathway across these trusts.

Which NHS trust covers the M postcode?

M postcodes are primarily served by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust. NHS England publishes waiting time data per trust, not per postcode, so this is the closest accurate breakdown for Manchester residents. Under NHS Patient Choice rules you can also ask your GP to refer you to a different trust with a shorter wait — this is your legal right.

How much does private cataract surgery cost near Manchester?

Nuffield Health and Spire Healthcare publish per-hospital prices for cataract surgery ranging £2,757–£5,631 across 57 hospitals nationally — Spire Healthcare median £3,275, Nuffield Health median £3,545. Those are national lists, not Manchester quotes, and each operator's figure covers different things. Circle and HCA Healthcare also operate in most major cities. Always confirm the exact total (consultation, surgery, anaesthesia, follow-ups) in writing before booking.

Will going private affect my NHS care if I live in M?

No. You can self-fund private treatment without losing your place on the NHS waiting list and without affecting your future NHS care. Many patients use private providers to access faster surgery while keeping the NHS option as a free backup.

Can I be referred to an NHS trust outside the M area?

Yes. Under NHS Patient Choice rules you can ask your GP to refer you to any NHS trust in England — not just the one closest to your home. If a trust elsewhere has a shorter waiting list, you can request a referral there. Travel costs for treatment further from home are your own responsibility.

Cataract surgery in the M postcode area

If you live in the M postcode area (Manchester), your GP will most likely refer you to Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust or Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust. The current median NHS wait for cataract surgery is 15 weeks. Published private prices start at £2,757.

NHS

Around the national average

15 weeks

Median wait for M residents

92nd percentile wait:: 44 weeks
Patients waiting:: 18,138
Seen within 18 weeks:: 63%

Free at the point of use. Aggregated from 2 NHS trusts.

Private

Days, not weeks

£2,757–£5,631

Published UK prices, 57 hospitals

Spire Healthcare median:: £3,275
Nuffield Health median:: £3,545
Typical wait:: 2–4 weeks

National price lists, not local quotes — each operator defines its own inclusions. Self-fund or use health insurance. Circle and HCA also operate in most cities.

Important context

NHS waiting-time figures are published at trust or specialty level. Private prices are read from individual hospitals’ own published price lists and cover two hospital groups rather than the whole private market; each operator defines its own inclusions, so their figures are shown separately and not averaged. Local eligibility, referral route, clinical urgency, provider package and insurance status can change the real-world choice. TreatCompare is for comparison only and is not medical, legal or financial advice.

Source type: Official NHS waiting-time data and private price model
Primary source: NHS England Referral to Treatment waiting-time data
Reporting period: Jul 2026
Last updated: 2026-09-11
Figure type: Mixed sources
Use: Research and comparison only

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Next step

Check nearby options for M residents

Postcode pages answer the wait question. These links help users compare wider local options and private routes.

See Manchester city pageTrust-level wait breakdown Calculate wait vs costWeeks saved and monthly cost Eyecare pricesProvider prices and next steps

What private hospitals publish for cataract surgery

57 hospitals across 2 operators publish a price for this procedure. Each operator’s figures are shown separately, against that operator’s own definition of what the price covers.

Operator	Median	Across its hospitals	Hospitals	What the figure covers
Spire Healthcare	£3,275	£2,757–£5,631	31	Guide price, includes consultant fee and initial consultation.One eye, worded by Spire as "with eyesight correction" — excludes bilateral.
Nuffield Health	£3,545	£2,870–£4,210	26	Guide price, excludes consultant fees, prosthesis and drugs.One eye, standard (monofocal) lens — excludes eyesight-correcting lenses.

Why there is no single figure. These two operators define their headline price differently — Nuffield Health says its guide price excludes consultant fees, while Spire Healthcare’s includes a consultant fee and an initial consultation. Their published figures track each other closely across every procedure both price, but that is a pattern in the numbers, not a statement either company makes. Averaging them would imply a like-for-like comparison neither operator has confirmed.

Read from each operator’s own published price pages, 2026-10-05. Prices change and exclusions differ — confirm the total in writing with the hospital before booking. This covers two of the UK’s private hospital groups, not the whole private market.

Calculator

Is going private worth it for cataract surgery?

Adjust the wait and quote to estimate weeks saved, cost per week saved and simple monthly equivalents.

12 weeks saved

NHS wait

15 wk

Private quote

Private wait

3 wk

Time saved

12 weeks

Cost per week saved

£273

Monthly equivalent

£273/mo

or £136/mo over 24 months

This is a planning aid only. Actual quotes, insurance coverage and finance terms vary by provider.

Starts from Spire Healthcare’s median of £3,275 across 31 hospitals. Change it to a quote you have been given.

How postcode waits work: NHS England publishes wait times per NHS trust, not per postcode. We have mapped M postcodes to the trusts that most commonly accept Manchester residents. Your actual wait depends on which trust your GP refers you to — and under NHS Patient Choice you can ask to be referred to any trust in England, not just the local one.

2 NHS trusts serving M postcodes

NHS Trust	Median wait	92nd %ile	Patients waiting	< 18 wks
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust R0A	11 wk	35 wk	12,001	69%
Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust RM3	18 wk	44 wk	6,137	50%

See the full Manchester city breakdown

TreatCompare also publishes a per-city version of this comparison with full NHS trust details and city-wide aggregates.

Cataract surgery in Manchester →