The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is set to revolutionise patient care with the introduction of 11 robotic surgery systems, capable of movements more precise than the human hand.
These systems have received conditional approval and will be used while further evidence is collected over the next three years to demonstrate their cost-effectiveness as part of the Early Value Assessment process.
Patient organisations have highlighted the significant benefits of robotic surgery, including faster recovery times, shorter hospital stays, quicker return to work, less pain, and reduced scarring compared to traditional surgery.
The systems approved include five for soft tissue procedures, such as hernia repair, tumour removal, and gallbladder removal, and six for orthopaedic surgeries, including full and partial knee replacements and hip replacements.
The recommendations aim to coordinate the expansion of innovative surgical technologies across the NHS, maximising patient benefits while collecting evidence to validate these advantages. Robotic systems, which cost between £500,000 and £1.5 million, are typically found in specialist centres performing hundreds of procedures annually.
Date: 22 April