Training must keep up with robotic surgery expansion to slash NHS backlog, warns college

Credit: PA Wire/Jacob King

By Claudia Tanner

The Royal College of Surgeons of England has issued new guidance calling on NHS trusts to bolster training and tighten governance for robotic surgery, as the technology emerges as a crucial tool to tackle spiralling waiting lists.

The recommendations come as the NHS prepares for an unprecedented expansion of robotic-assisted surgery over the next decade. By 2035, half a million operations annually will be supported by robotic technology – more than seven times the 70,000 procedures performed in 2023/24.