Chemotherapy admissions exceeded those for any other procedure in UK independent hospitals for the first time in July-September (Q3) 2025, according to the latest data from the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN).
Admissions for the oncology treatment stood at 19,910 across the three months, while the next largest procedure by admissions was cataract surgery, totalling19,075, the data showed.
The next two highest admissions were for diagnostic tests (Upper GI endoscopy 10,390 and Colonoscopy 9,160).
The data showed a slight increase (1%) in admissions overall compared to the same period in 2024, reflecting slower growth than previous periods, PHIN’s director of technology Richard Wells said.
“However, the number of admissions in the 2025 Q3 was the “highest number we’ve ever seen for this period,” he added.
“We have been seeing a greater variety in the type of procedures people for which people go private for some time. Chemotherapy and diagnostic tests have become much more prevalent, whereas the traditional ‘top 3’ of cataracts, hip replacements and knee replacements are no longer dominant.”
“We are also seeing a decline in the popularity of weight loss surgeries as people turn to the popular jabs like Wegovy (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) instead,” he added.
PHIN’s data also shows that the proportion of total admissions in England in a private setting remained at 6%. NHS funded procedures taking place in private hospitals also remained steady at five per cent of the total admissions. The majority of admissions remained ‘NHS Hospital, NHS Funded’ which was at 88%, according to the figures.
