Royal Stoke University Hospital in England is taking a courageous step toward surgical care that’s both effective and safe. It’s about to become the UK’s biggest robotic surgery centre! The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) is introducing new state-of-the-art robotic surgery technology. This innovation will improve the lives of more than 1,000 patients each year! This program further solidifies Royal Stoke as a key member of the network by providing advanced surgical services, such as emergency and cardiac surgeries.
Royal Stoke’s ambitious plan includes the aim for robotic-assisted surgery to become the default for a growing number of operations. This shift is projected to happen in the coming ten years. By 2033, 90 percent of all major keyhole surgeries at the facility will be performed with the help of a robot. This entails leave procedures for surgical removal of cancer-impacting organs. This timely transition symbolizes a more recent and bigger push to strengthen surgical capacity and ultimately strengthen patient care.
Royal Stoke is relieving bed pressures as part of a nationwide Drive Change initiative. The program will then enable 500,000 operations per year across England by 2035 using robotic technology. The hospital is making its way to becoming a national centre of excellence for robots. We think the number of operations currently using robotic assistance would triple from 70,000 this year to a half a million in the next ten years.
Royal Stoke is poised to become a national centre for excellence in general robotic surgery. Once installed it will make the hospital the first in the UK to utilise pioneering robot-assisted surgical technology that allows surgeons to feel tissue resistance in real-time during procedures. By providing real-time information about the biological structures present, this feature is designed to improve the accuracy and efficiency of surgical procedures.
Royal Stoke has been growing the use of robotic surgery services. This additional expansion into community-based treatment is projected to save an additional 2,000 bed days annually, on top of the 3,000 bed days currently saved. The huge drop in hospital days is a huge win for patients. It maximizes the limited hospital resources, making care more efficient to deliver.
Philip Varghese, a consultant colorectal surgeon at UHNM has been a major advocate for the significant effect this development will have on surgical practice.
“This expansion significantly strengthens our ability to deliver robotic surgery across a wider range of complex procedures.” – Philip Varghese, consultant colorectal surgeon at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM).
Royal Stoke has been at the cutting edge of surgical technology. It recently announced that it had become the first hospital in England to adopt the “Magic Leap” surgical system. With vertebral mobile, surgeons get a vivid 3D look at a patient’s spine while in the surgical procedure. To boost their visualization, they use specially designed virtual reality goggles.
The introduction of robotic surgery at Royal Stoke reinforces the commitment to providing world-class surgical care closer to home for patients in the region. As Coates noted,
“This investment will allow more patients across the region to benefit from world-leading surgical care closer to home.” – Coates.