Hospitals in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire have invested in robotic solutions to support surgeries.
Robots purchased by the Great Western Hospital in Swindon and Royal United Hospital in Bath have already begun performing surgeries; Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust has reported that it will begin using its new surgical robot later in the year.
The investment represents part of a regional commitment to introduce new technologies across the local health system to improve quality of patient care.
Some of the key benefits of introducing surgical robotics include higher levels of precision and the ability to perform complex procedures with minimal access, increasing safety levels for the patient undergoing the procedure.
One of the first patients to undergo robot-assisted surgery in Swindon was Anne Everdon, who said: “I was happy to be operated on using the robot, it’s the future.
“Everything that is happening now is going to be for the benefit of not only the NHS but for the future of everybody health wise.”
Implementing these systems can also reduce the distance that needs to be travelled by local people to access robotic surgeries, with similar technologies already being deployed in other parts of the country across the NHS, Great Western Hospital has said.
Dr Jon Westbrook, chief medical officer at the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, added: “More patients will soon be seeing the benefits that come with the less invasive procedures that are made possible thanks to our new surgical robot.
“The robot is an important advance in our care, as it will improve treatment for our patients and allow them to leave hospital sooner.
“The acquisition of this robot, and those at our partner hospitals, also means we will also be able to continue recruiting and retaining the very best surgeons here in our local area, as well as being able to share expertise between local providers.”
