Find all the information you’ll need before coming to Hospital for treatment. Learn more about making an appointment, our luxurious accommodation and our exceptional facilities.
Founded in 1856, St John & St Elizabeth Hospital is one of the UK’s largest independent charitable hospitals. Our commitment to our patients is in the quality of our care, the range of our services and the quality of our consultants and staff.
Make an appointment, find our contact details and have your say by providing feedback. You’ll also find information on where to find us and how to get here.
Find the useful information for Medical Practitioners, including information on patient referrals, careers, education and more.
St John & St Elizabeth Hospital is renowned for its highly specialised clinics that provide exemplary care for patients. Our expert Consultants cover the full range of specialties and are able to treat almost any medical condition.
We’re proud to be the chosen Hospital for some of the world’s leading Consultants. Our specialist Consultants cover a wide range of specialisms and are committed to our values as a Hospital.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is extremely common, particularly in older people, affecting nearly 8 million people in the UK. It is most common in the high use joints including the knee or hip. It occurs when the cartilage in the joint becomes damaged and the shape of the articular surfaces of the bones change.
Osteoarthritis can be triggered by a trauma to the knee or can start with no known cause.
The most common type of inflammatory arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis, which affects around 400,000 people in the UK. A patient’s immune system causes inflammation and swelling which affects the joint. There is often no known cause.
Many people with inflammatory arthritis will be under the care of a rheumatologist. For further details of our rheumatologists, please visit our orthopaedic website www.orthopaedicunit.org.uk/rheumatologists
Your consultant will assess your knee and recommend a treatment plan depending on several factors including how advanced the arthritis is, your lifestyle and activity levels, other medical conditions and factors.
For mild or early stage OA, your consultant may recommend physiotherapy or joint injections to relieve symptoms.
For severe or late stage OA, a partial or full joint replacement may be recommended to give maximum relief from pain and other symptoms and improved use of the joint.
Your Consultant will discuss regarding the most suitable treatment for your condition.
Joint injections including anti-inflammatory medications or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs may be helpful in some cases.
In severe cases, partial or full joint replacement may be required.
Speak to your Consultant regarding the most suitable treatment for your condition.
The Knee Unit at St John & St Elizabeth Hospital comprises a dedicated team specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of knee pain and stiffness caused by knee conditions or injuries.
Our Hospital is renowned for providing exemplary levels of care across more than 90 services. From orthopaedics, to urology, our private GP practice and Urgent Care Clinic, our services are led by some of London’s leading Consultants. For more information, and to find a service suitable for your care, find out more about the services that we offer.
If you have any questions relating to treatment options or pricing information, get in touch with us by filling out one of our contact boxes or giving us a call on 020 7432 8328.
Our Appointments Team have a dedicated and caring approach to finding you the earliest appointment possible with the best specialist.
If you are self-paying you don’t need a referral from your GP for a consultation. You can simply refer yourself* and book an appointment.
If you have health insurance (e.g. Bupa, Axa Health, Aviva), you will need to contact your insurer to get authorisation before any treatment, and in most cases you will also require a referral letter from your GP.
If you are not registered with a GP, we have an in-house private GP practice you can use. Alternatively, we can suggest the most appropriate course of action for you to take, given your location and individual circumstances.
*Please note – for investigations such as X-rays and MRIs, a referral will be required. However, we may be able to arrange this for you through our on-site private GP.
