State-of-the art robots that could improve surgery for thousands of patients have been approved for use on the NHS.
The machines, which cost between £500,000 and £1.5 million, are capable of movements more precise than the human hand.
Patients report faster recovery times, shorter hospital stays, less pain and reduced scarring than with traditional surgery.
They are also able to return to work quicker.
Some robotic systems allow surgeons to perform procedures using mechanical arms controlled from a nearby console. Others are handheld.
The surgical instruments attached to these arms can move with greater dexterity than the human hand, offering greater precision.
They will be used in specialist hospitals for a range of soft tissue and orthopaedic procedures, including removing tumours or gallbladders, hernia repair and hip and knee replacements.
Eleven robotic surgery systems have been approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) under its early value assessment programme.
Surgeon using the surgical robot Da Vinci to perform a radical cystectomy
The new guidance says these can be used over the coming three years while more evidence is collected on their benefits.
Among the issues Nice will look at are how the technology affects the length of hospital stays and waiting lists, as well as the resources used for training staff and the costs of implementation.
Dr Anastasia Chalkidou, programme director of Nice’s HealthTech programme, said: ‘These innovative technologies have the potential to transform both soft tissue and orthopaedic surgical care in the NHS.
‘Robot-assisted surgery may help overcome key limitations of conventional techniques through precise movements and enhanced 3D visualisation, potentially transforming surgical options and outcomes for NHS patients.
‘Both applications could benefit patients who might not otherwise be candidates for minimally invasive approaches.’
She added: ‘The data gathered over the next three years will allow us to evaluate exactly how these technologies can improve patient care and help ensure NHS resources are directed toward interventions that deliver meaningful clinical benefits and long-term value to our health service.’
In 2011/12, the majority of robot-assisted procedures were for urological cancer, which can include cancer in the bladder, kidney, prostate and testicles, according to Nice.
By last year, almost half of these operations were for other conditions, with a surge in the use of robotic surgeries for bowel cancer, which now accounts for a quarter of all robot-assisted procedures.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis (pictured) said the approval is fantastic news for patients
There has also been a jump in the use of the technology in orthopaedics, with 4,000 robot-assisted surgeries taking place last year, up from 300 in 2018/19.
Making greater use of digital technologies in the NHS is one of the three shifts set to be outlined by the Government in its forthcoming 10-year health plan.
It is also expected to focus more on sickness prevention and moving care from hospitals into the community.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director at NHS England, said: ‘This is fantastic news for patients and shows that the NHS continues to find new ways to utilise the latest technological innovations to improve care.
‘This will be a vital element of the 10-year health plan which will be published in the coming months.
‘Robot-assisted surgery is crucial to the future of high-quality healthcare – and with benefits including shorter stays in hospital, faster recovery for patients and less invasive procedures, these advancements will have a knock-on effect throughout the system and help patients get treated quicker.
‘This is an important step forward as we continue to work to ensure everyone is able to get high-quality care when they need it.’
Nuha Yassin, a consultant colorectal surgeon and Royal College of Surgeons of England council member, described the Nice guidance as a ‘significant step forward’.
‘The potential for faster recovery times, reduced complications and increased access to minimally invasive procedures could transform patient care,’ she said.
‘It remains important that, in introducing these new technologies, NHS trusts and surgical teams ensure they are working within the guidelines set out by the Royal College of Surgeons of England, so that they are implemented in the safest way possible for patients.’
