NHS plans to chop waitlist instances by increasing entry to robotic surgical procedures

The NHS hopes to bring the benefits of robotic surgery, like faster recovery and fewer complications, to more people in the coming years. | Source: Adobe Stock

The National Health Society (NHS) of England announced today that millions of patients will benefit from robotic surgery over the next decade as part of its efforts to cut waiting times. By 2035, it plans to support half a million robotic operations every year, up from 70,000 in 2023 and 2024, according to NHS projections.

“The NHS has pledged to return to shorter elective waiting times by 2029, and we are using every tool at our disposal to ensure patients get the best possible treatment,” Jim Mackey, NHS Chief Executive, said. “Expanding the use of new and exciting tech such as robotic surgery will play a huge part in this. Not only does it speed up the number of procedures the NHS can do, but it also means better outcomes, a faster recovery, and shorter hospital stays for patients.”

In particular, the NHS said robotics will be increasingly used as part of keyhole surgery, where a surgeon uses only small cuts and a camera to minimise damage to tissues. 9 in 10 of all keyhole surgeries, such as the removal of certain organs affected by cancer, will be delivered with robot assistance within the next 10 years. This is up from 1 in 5 today, with robotic surgery being the default for many operations, the NHS said.

The NHS also expects to see increasing numbers of emergency operations using the technology, which can be more precise than the human hand. The new NHS England forecast follows the publication of the organization’s first-ever national guidance on how robotic programmes should be delivered.

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NHS gives insight into the benefits of robotic surgery

Compared to traditional keyhole surgeries, robotic surgeries allow greater dexterity and easier manipulation. Instead of standing at the operating table, trying to contort their bodies to reach specific parts of the patient, the surgeon controls instruments at a console using a 3D camera. In orthopaedic robot procedures, the robot is even programmed to perform elements of the procedure, the NHS said.

These surgeries don’t just reduce stress on surgeons’ bodies. Patients undergoing surgery involving robots are able to recover quickly and be discharged sooner. For example, some bladder cancer patients can leave the hospital in just 5 days, half the expected time with traditional open surgery.

In recent years, the range of operations involving robots has widened – in 2011 and 2012, urological cancer surgery made up 80%. However, by 2023 and 2024, this relative proportion dropped to 44% even though the number of operations had increased, as there was significant growth in areas such as colorectal, gynaecology, ear, nose, and throat, and orthopaedic procedures.

Five systems for soft tissue procedures, such as hernia repair, removal of tumours, and gallbladder removal, and six for orthopaedic surgery, such as full and partial knee replacement procedures and hip replacements, have received conditional approval from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) while they undergo further evaluation. This means the use of this technology can be expanded further across the NHS to help thousands more patients.

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