Smith+Nephew, Standard Health to Establish U.K.-Based ASC

Smith+Nephew has formed a strategic partnership with Standard Health to develop the United Kingdom’s first orthopedic ambulatory surgery center (ASC).

Based in Poole, Dorset, the new center will offer National Health Service (NHS) and private patients access to leading joint repair and replacement technology for rotator cuff repair, ACL reconstruction, knee and hip replacements, foot deformities, ankle replacements, and hand/wrist injuries. 

“The Standard Health orthopedic ambulatory surgical centre model will bring the benefits long enjoyed by U.S. patients to those on waiting lists in the U.K.,” said Craig Gaffin, president of Global Orthopaedics at Smith+Nephew. “Our expertise with ASCs and broad portfolio of solutions will ensure that facilities and patients have access to orthopedic, sports medicine, and wound management medical technology to help surgeons deliver an outstanding experience.”

Standard Health is a clinical healthcare provider, and will oversee site development and the ASC’s operation; Smith+Nephew, on the other hand, will supply the center with its medical products. Standard Health expects to open 10 additional U.K. ASCs in the next three years and 20 total by 2030.

The ASC in Poole will cover day and overnight-stay cases, which comprise the vast majority of orthopedic procedures. It will mirror the ASC model in the United States, where Smith+Nephew is a major partner to many sports medicine and orthopedic facilities. Benefits derived from U.S.-based ASC settings for both healthcare practitioners and their patients are well documented, and may include:

• Greater procedural efficiency due to streamlined workflows¹
• A 92% patient satisfaction rate for both care and service received from ASCs¹
• Decreased costs to the health system. Outpatient joint replacements at U.S.-based ASCs reduce joint replacement costs by 40% compared to hospital-based surgery.²

There are currently more than 6,000 ASCs in the United States that account for over 50% of all outpatient surgical procedures.^3,4 The orthopedic ASC in Poole is expected to open sometime this year and serve thousands of patients annually, with the majority being NHS referrals. There are currently more than 850,000 people waiting for orthopedic surgery in the United Kingdom.⁵ Accordingly, the NHS commissioning landscape is reliant on independent providers to address this demand. 

“Our goal is to help shape and redefine the U.K. independent care provider model for orthopedics-based on existing successful models and technologies globally, including empowering surgeons as stakeholders. This will provide a standard quality of care for patients as well as value for NHS commissioners, which is sustainable long-term,” Standard Health Chief Operating Officer Matt Byrne stated. “The amount of time patients must wait for a procedure in the U.K. needs to improve. We chose to partner with Smith+Nephew to accelerate the implementation and ultimately help deliver the success of these surgical centers.”

 Smith+Nephew is a portfolio medical technology business focused on the repair, regeneration and replacement of soft and hard tissue. With the help of 17,000 employees, the company invents and applies new technologies across its three global business units: Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine & ENT, and Advanced Wound Management. Founded in Hull, U.K., in 1856, Smith+Nephew operates in roughly 100 countries, and generated $5.8 billion in 2024 sales. Smith+Nephew is a constituent of the FTSE100.

Standard Health Ltd. is a CQC-registered firm specializing in orthopedic care. Standard Health has provided NHS orthopedic services to the NHS in the south since 2012 with more than 10,000 patient episodes. Standard Health is involved in a nationwide expansion program to deliver high-quality ASCs primarily focusing on public sector work. This involves industry partnerships to deliver the latest surgical technologies to improve patient outcomes.

References 
¹ Ambulatory Surgery Centres: A positive trend in health care. Ambulatory Surgery Centre Association. https://www.ascassociation.org/advancingsurgicalcare/aboutascs/industryoverview/apositivetrendinhealthcare  [Accessed: June 13, 2025]
² https://www.beckersasc.com/orthopedics-tjr/outpatient-joint-replacements-at-ascs-cost-40-less-than-hospital-based-surgery-3-study-details/ [Accessed: June 13, 2025]
³ ASCs in 2023: A Year in Review – Becker’s ASC: https://www.beckersasc.com/asc-transactions-and-valuation-issues/ascs-in-2023-a-year-in-review/  [Accessed: June 13, 2025]
⁴ United States Ambulatory Surgery Center Market Report 2023: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/01/31/2820749/28124/en/United-States-Ambulatory-Surgery-Center-Market-Report-2023-ASCs-Respond-To-Staffing-Shortages-With-Automation-And-Financial-Incentives.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com  [Accessed: June 13, 2025]
⁵ NHS Waiting List Tracker https://waitinglist.health.lcp.com/ [Accessed: June 13, 2025]