Across 23 UK private hospitals that publish a price for grommets insertion, the indicative self-pay cost runs from £3,000 to £3,753, a median of £3,407. That is a spread of £753 — 25% — for the same procedure depending on where it is done.
| Hospital | Group | Listed as | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gatwick Park | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,000 |
| Alexandra | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,136 |
| Cambridge Lea | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,180 |
| Thames Valley | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,240 |
| Bushey | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,272 |
| Southampton | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,285 |
| Parkway | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,319 |
| Liverpool | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,359 |
| Bristol | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,380 |
| Washington | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,380 |
| Portsmouth | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,398 |
| Edinburgh Hospitals Murrayfield and Shawfair Park | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,407 |
| Little Aston | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,430 |
| Manchester | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,437 |
| Leeds | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,450 |
| The Montefiore | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,475 |
| Elland | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,487 |
| Wellesley | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,530 |
| St Anthonys | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,565 |
| Methley Park | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,586 |
| Hull and East Riding | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,643 |
| Leicester | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,660 |
| Nottingham | Spire Healthcare | Grommets insertion (glue ear treatment, Insertion of grommets) | from £3,753 |
Why grommets insertion prices vary this much
The 25% spread on grommets insertion is not a quality signal. Published prices differ because of what the package includes — length of stay, follow-up, implants or consumables — and because consultant fees and theatre costs vary by location. Some listings above are a specific variant of grommets insertion rather than the standard one, which is why the exact wording each hospital uses is shown.
Compare like with like before reading anything into the grommets insertion gap: ask each hospital what the quoted figure covers, whether the initial consultation is included, and what happens to the price if you need a longer stay than the package assumes.
Would private health insurance pay for grommets insertion?
Not if you already have the problem. Cover is written for conditions that arise after it starts, so anything you already have symptoms of is a pre-existing condition and excluded — permanently under full medical underwriting, or until a symptom-free period has passed under a moratorium. Freedom Health Insurance names a five-year look-back; WPA adds a 14-day deferment on anything arising in the first fortnight.
Bought before symptoms, a policy is what turns £3,407 into a claim. Bought after, it will not. Get a free quote to see what cover would cost you, or read how UK cover compares and the FCA-authorised brokers.
Full price lists
- Every treatment priced at Spire Healthcare Gatwick Park
- Every treatment priced at Spire Healthcare Alexandra
- Every treatment priced at Spire Healthcare Cambridge Lea
- Every treatment priced at Spire Healthcare Thames Valley
- Every treatment priced at Spire Healthcare Bushey
- Every treatment priced at Spire Healthcare Southampton
- Every treatment priced at Spire Healthcare Parkway
- Every treatment priced at Spire Healthcare Liverpool
- Every treatment priced at Spire Healthcare Bristol
- Every treatment priced at Spire Healthcare Washington
Sources
- Source: Spire Healthcare Gatwick Park, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-gatwick-park-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Alexandra, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-alexandra-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Cambridge Lea, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-cambridge-lea-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Thames Valley, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-thames-valley-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Bushey, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-bushey-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Southampton, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-southampton-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Parkway, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-parkway-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Liverpool, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-liverpool-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Bristol, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-bristol-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Washington, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-washington-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Portsmouth, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-portsmouth-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Edinburgh Hospitals Murrayfield and Shawfair Park, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-edinburgh-hospitals-murrayfield-and-shawfair-park/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Little Aston, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-little-aston-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Manchester, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-manchester-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Leeds, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-leeds-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare The Montefiore, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/the-montefiore-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Elland, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-elland-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Wellesley, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-wellesley-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare St Anthonys, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-st-anthonys-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Methley Park, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-methley-park-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Hull and East Riding, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-hull-and-east-riding-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Leicester, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-leicester-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.
- Source: Spire Healthcare Nottingham, https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-nottingham-hospital/treatments/prices/, read 4 September 2026.