NHS England plans to significantly expand the use of robot-assisted surgery, aiming for 90% of keyhole operations to be robotic by 2035, up from 20% today. This initiative seeks to cut hospital waiting lists, improve patient outcomes, and reduce hospital stays. The plan, announced by Sir Jim Mackey, faces calls for increased capital funding from the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Millions more to have robotic surgery in NHS plan to cut waiting lists
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NHS England plans to significantly expand the use of robot-assisted surgery, aiming for 90% of keyhole operations to be robotic by 2035, up from 20% today. This initiative seeks to cut hospital waiting lists, improve patient outcomes, and reduce hospital stays. The plan, announced by Sir Jim Mackey, faces calls for increased capital funding from the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Trending- 1 2021: Wes Streeting had robotic surgery for kidney cancer
- 2 2025-06-11: NHS England head announces plan to expand robotic surgery
- 3 2029: NHS pledges to return to shorter elective waiting times
- 4 2035: Target for 90% of keyhole operations to be robot-assisted
- Significant expansion in robotic surgery use
- Reduction in hospital waiting lists
- Improved patient outcomes
- Faster patient recovery
- Shorter hospital stays
- Potential freeing up of hospital beds
- Reduced strain on surgical teams
- Need for major boost to capital spending in NHS
- Potential for unequal access to robotics if funding is insufficient
What: NHS England plans to expand robot-assisted surgery to become the default for 90% of keyhole operations by 2035, increasing annual procedures from 70,000 to 500,000. This includes operations for cancer, hysterectomies, joint replacements, and medical emergencies. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has approved robots for various soft tissue and orthopaedic procedures.
When: Announced on Wednesday (2025-06-11), with expansion targets set for 2035 and a pledge to return to shorter elective waiting times by 2029.
Where: England, UK. The plan will be outlined at the NHS ConfedExpo conference in Manchester.
Why: To slash huge waiting lists for hospital treatment, speed up procedures, achieve better patient outcomes, faster recovery, and shorter hospital stays. It also aims to free up beds in overcrowded hospitals and reduce strain on surgical teams.
How: By significantly expanding the use of existing robotic technology, making it the 'default' for many procedures. This requires substantial capital funding for NHS trusts to invest in robotics and infrastructure.