Royal Stoke University Hospital to soon become a centre of excellence for robotic surgery. This innovative step is a collaborative project with the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM). This collaborative effort has the potential to transform surgical practices across the entire region. It provides innovative technology that drives improvements in patient experience and outcome while increasing productivity.
Most recently, Royal Stoke came in the news for being the first hospital in England to roll out the new “Magic Leap” surgical system. Surgeons don special virtual reality goggles that display detailed 3D models of a patient’s spine. This publicly available technology and innovation greatly increases their capacity to operate with surgical accuracy. Royal Stoke anticipates helping more than 1,000 patients annually with this state-of-the-art system. This groundbreaking innovation represents an additional step to improve the quality of care for people who need complex procedures including emergency and heart surgeries.
The unveiling of the “Magic Leap” system is only part of Royal Stoke’s larger goal to become a smart hospital. The hospital plans to become the first facility in the UK to utilize new technology that enables surgeons to feel tissue resistance in real time. This announcement is a further testament to Royal Stoke’s dedication to incorporating the latest technology into its surgical practices.
Looking to the future, the hospital expects robotic assistance will be part of 90% of all keyhole surgeries performed over the next 10 years. This even includes common procedures such as organ removals affected by cancer. As a matter of fact, robotic surgery will soon be the preferred technique for most surgeries done at Royal Stoke. The NHS foresees the use of robotic surgery undertaking as much as 500,000 operations annually by 2035. This would be a historic high, up from just 70,000 operations that are currently funded in fiscal year 2023.
The increase in robotic surgery is likely to provide far more benefits than just the enhanced patient outcomes. To start, the technology is expected to conserve approximately 3,000 bed days per year. As it continues to grow and gain more adoption, we expect this number to increase to a minimum of 5,000 bed days saved per year.
Philip Varghese, a spokesperson for Royal Stoke, emphasized the significance of this expansion:
“This expansion significantly strengthens our ability to deliver robotic surgery across a wider range of complex procedures.”
This joint program is a huge boost to surgical capacity. At the same time, it hopes to bring high-quality surgical care closer to the patients that need it throughout its region. The foundation bankrolling this initiative once again proved its dedication to long-term meaningful change to regional healthcare. As stated by a foundation representative:
“Supporting projects that make a lasting difference to local communities remains a core focus of the foundation.”
Royal Stoke features an impressive multi-storey building, the lower half of which is brightly clad in red and yellow. This remarkable facility is set to change the landscape of surgical supervision and skill in the UK. The integration of robotic surgery not only positions it as a leader in medical innovation but aligns with national efforts to enhance healthcare delivery across England.