Given the rise in robotic-assisted surgery, the Royal College of Surgeons of England has issued new guidance to improve patient safety and consistency across hospitals.
The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) has issued new guidance urging NHS Trusts to strengthen training and tighten governance for surgeons who perform robotic procedures.
Robotic-assisted surgery has become increasingly common across NHS operating theatres, and there is no doubting the speed with which robotic procedures have accelerated. In December alone, Healthcare Today has covered the opening of an additional theatre for robotic surgery at Bupa’s Cromwell Hospital in Kensington, London, and HCA Healthcare UK, which successfully performed the first Robotic-Assisted Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass (RA-MIDCAB) in the UK private sector.
Currently, there are no standardised NHS protocols or minimum training requirements in place, and adoption varies widely between Trusts. The updated guidance sets out a strengthened national framework to ensure safe, consistent, and evidence-based roll-out across the NHS.
“The government is championing robotic-assisted surgery for its significant patient benefits and potential to help cut waiting lists. While this is exciting, the pace of innovation must be matched by rigorous standards,” said Nuha Yassin, consultant colorectal surgeon and RCS England Council lead for the future of surgery, robotics and digital surgery.
Updated guidance
The updated guidance aims to improve patient safety and consistency across hospitals as robotic procedures become more common in the NHS. It also provides clear national standards for training, competency, and governance, drawing on the latest evidence and policy from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) and GIRFT/NHS England.
Updates and recommendations include baseline structured practice on robotic surgery simulators that a surgical trainee must complete before progressing to real patient cases; a formal, supervised stage of training that ensures surgeons are safe and competent before operating independently; formal governance structures to be set up in every Trust to approve independent practice, review data, and oversee safe implementation; and an emphasis on teamwork and structured learning.
RCS England said that it intends to review the guidance to reflect emerging evidence, new technologies, and best practice, ensuring surgical teams are equipped with up-to-date standards and support for safe, effective practice.
