Can robots like Roxy revolutionise cancer surgery?
The robot's mechanical arms, with surgical instruments attached to them, have been placed inside Dr Burton's patient through small cuts in the abdomen.
The surgeon crosses the operating theatre to a console that would look more at home in an arcade and sits down.
Dr Burton looks through a viewfinder and, with a joystick and foot pedals, he begins manipulating instruments.
He is entirely in control of the robot as he cuts through tissue, avoiding important nerves and blood vessels as he searches deep into the pelvis for potentially cancerous lymph nodes.
It is now more than five years since I first witnessed robot surgeons in action at the Golden Jubilee hospital in Clydebank.
Surgeons say the contribution of robotic assisted surgery since then cannot be overstated.
This week, First Minister John Swinney spoke at Scotland's National Robotarium to pledge that innovation and technology would be one of three key platforms for reforming the NHS.
Artificial intelligence is the latest tool to assist with diagnostics, and a new digital app is promised to improve patient access.
But what role might robots like Roxy play?
Robotic surgery has been expanding in Scotland since it was first introduced in Grampian in 2015.
Companies such as Versius, Mako and Rosa have supplied robots to health boards to assist with specialties such as thoracic, urology and pancreatic surgery.
More recently some hospitals are using robots for orthopaedics.
In 2021, the Scottish government invested £20m purchasing 12 da Vinci robots, primarily to develop cancer surgery, particularly in areas such as womb cancer or bowel cancer, the specialisms with the highest rates of open surgery.
Surgeons say robotic assisted surgery (RAS) is transforming their ability to perform delicate and complex cancer surgery - with faster recovery for patients.
But so far RAS is responsible for only around 1% of the total number of operations carried out on the NHS in Scotland and further investment would be expensive, with the cost of a da Vinci robot in the region of £1.7m plus running costs.
Prof Graham Mackay is the clinical lead for the West of Scotland Cancer Centre and also a colorectal surgeon.
He tells me that across Scotland they are seeing huge benefits from RAS.
Rates of open surgery have dropped from about 70% to 30% in the past three years and it has almost halved the length of stay in hospital for patients, who also experience fewer complications.
Prof Mackay says expanding the programme to other areas would help ease pressure on hospitals.
"There are still a number of hospitals that don't have this technology," he says.
"There are other cancer types which we're not treating yet by this and certainly from what we've seen in bowel cancer, this has really been the biggest step forward in surgical care that I've seen during my career.
"What we want is that for all cancer patients, where they can benefit from it, to be benefiting."
Isobel Morrison is one patient who has benefited from RAS.
The 84-year-old required a hysterectomy to treat womb cancer but thanks to Roxy, was able to get home the day after her surgery in time to celebrate her 60th wedding anniversary.
Isobel said: "I called him the Tin Man, and just said he'd done a good job.
"I woke up, and didn't realise I'd even had it,
"When the doctors happened to be in the ward, I said 'Excuse me, have I had my operation? And they said yes'.
"So then I got home the next day, and I felt absolutely fine."
Back in surgery and Dr Burton's operation has reached a delicate stage.
Lymph nodes are cut away, and, still inside the patient's body, they are neatly put into a bag that will be removed by theatre nurses through the vagina.
Dr Burton says the robot is "fantastic" and has "massive advantages" over traditional open or keyhole surgery.
He says: "Robotic surgery gives you a really immersed close-up view, a really steady view, and has a 3D element to the vision which allows you do really complex tasks."
He says higher obesity rates have been directly linked to an increase in gynaecological cancers and robotic assisted surgery enables surgeons to operate on patients who are so overweight that they would previously have been considered inoperable.
Dr Burton says that without doubt RAS has the potential to save money for the NHS.
"If we can get patients in hospital for less time, that frees up more beds for patients," he says.
"So when you get a winter bed crisis, for example, we have more beds, we have more doctors and more nurses to actually deliver the care needed."
In 2021, with post-pandemic backlogs mounting, the government saw robots as playing a central role in the remobilisation of the NHS.
But technology moves fast and ministers need to choose which innovations will deliver most impact for less cost, when health board budgets are under more pressure than ever.
The current plans talk of better use of data to increase productivity as well as innovations in genetic testing to better target of medications.
Digital support for mental health, dermatology and the management of long-term conditions is also planned as well as a new Scottish health and social care app.
So who can say whether more Roxies are set to join Scotland's NHS robot surgery team?
The NHS robots performing major surgery
Swinney pledges action to bring down NHS waits
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Millions on NHS waiting lists yet to have first appointment
Millions of people in England on NHS waiting lists are yet to have their first appointment, new data reveal. Figures from NHS England last month suggest nearly half of those waiting for hospital care have not had their first appointment with a specialist or a diagnostic test since their GP referral. An analysis by health data specialist MBI Health suggests nearly three million out of the 6.23 million patients (48 per cent) waiting for treatment are left in limbo. Experts referred to the issue as a 'frontlog' and warned the crisis 'has gone unchallenged for too long'. MBI's analysis also found that around 70 per cent of referral-to-treatment pathways fall into the category of being 'unseen' since the patient's GP referred them to a specialist. Delays in making a first assessment can lead to late diagnosis, worsening symptoms and pressure on emergency services. The analysis found that ear, nose and throat, trauma and orthopaedics, gastroenterology, ophthalmology and gynaecology and obstetrics departments were consistently the specialist departments with the greatest number of patients not seen for the first time. 'That's a breakdown' As part of the Government's 10-year health plan, the NHS is expected to meet its target of carrying out 92 per cent of routine operations and appointments within 18 weeks by March 2029 – a target that has not been achieved for almost a decade. The latest figures show how challenging that target will be given an estimated one million of the three million unseen patients have already gone more than 18 weeks without receiving any care. 'If accurate, three million people are trapped in an invisible waiting-list crisis, stuck without basic diagnostic tests of first appointments while their conditions worsen,' Rachel Power, the chief executive of the Patients Association, told the Guardian. 'The scale is staggering, as nearly half of all patients on a waiting list haven't been seen by anyone. That's not a healthcare service; that's a breakdown. 'These aren't just statistics. They're people checking their phones daily for hospital calls that never come, unable to plan their lives while their symptoms deteriorate.' Last month it was found people of working age are making up a growing proportion of those on the NHS waiting list for treatment in England. Data tables published for the first time by NHS England also show people in the most deprived parts of the country are more likely to wait more than a year to start hospital treatment than those in the least deprived. The figures, analysed by the PA news agency, showed 56.1 per cent of those on the list at the end of June this year were of working age (defined as age 19 to 64), up from 55.8 per cent a year ago and 55 per cent in June 2022. At the same time, the proportion of people on the waiting list under the age of 19 has fallen, standing at 10.8 per cent in June this year, down from 11.2 per cent a year earlier and 11.9 per cent in June 2022. The proportion who are over 65 has remained broadly unchanged at around 33.1 per cent. People of working age are also more likely to have to wait more than a year to start treatment (three per cent of patients in this age group at the end of June) than those over 65 (two and half per cent). However, the proportion is the same as those under 19 (also three per cent). An NHS spokesman said: 'NHS staff have made significant progress in reducing waiting lists in the last year, which are down by more than 260,000 since June 2024. 'All patients are assessed by clinicians as they are added to waiting lists, and we will continue with our plan to improve waiting times for patients throughout the year.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
NHS ‘invisible waiting list' as three million patients await specialist appointments
Three million patients in England have had no appointment after being referred by their GPs to specialist care, a new analysis has suggested. NHS England figures last month estimated 7.36 million treatments were waiting to be carried out at the end of May, relating to just under 6.23 million patients. The new analysis from MBI Health suggests almost half of those have been left in limbo. Delays in making a first assessment can lead to late diagnosis, worsening symptoms and pressure on emergency services. The Patients Association, which represents patients across the country, said if accurate, the situation was 'staggering' and meant millions are waiting on an 'invisible waiting list.' The analysis comes after data showed the NHS is making progress in reducing the overall waiting list ahead of Sir Keir Starmer's promise for 92 per cent of patients to be treated within 18 weeks by March 2029 - a target not met since 2015. MBI's analysis found that around 70 per cent of referral to treatment pathways fall into the category of being 'unseen' since the patient's GP referred them to a specialist. The latest figures show how challenging that target will be, given an estimated one million of the three million unseen patients have already gone more than 18 weeks without receiving any care. The analysis found that ear, nose and throat (ENT), trauma and orthopaedics, gastroenterology, ophthalmology and gynaecology and obstetrics departments were consistently the specialist departments with the greatest number of patients not seen for the first time. Rachel Power, the chief executive of the Patients Association, told the Guardian 'If accurate, three million people are trapped in an invisible waiting list crisis, stuck without basic diagnostic tests of first appointments while their conditions worsen,' 'The scale is staggering, as nearly half of all patients on a waiting list haven't been seen by anyone. That's not a healthcare service; that's a breakdown. 'These aren't just statistics. They're people checking their phones daily for hospital calls that never come, unable to plan their lives while their symptoms deteriorate.' Last month, figures showed 56.1 per cent of those on the list at the end of June this year were of working age (defined as age 19 to 64), up from 55.8 per cent a year ago and 55 per cent in June 2022. At the same time, the proportion of people on the waiting list under the age of 19 has fallen, standing at 10.8 per cent in June this year, down from 11.2 per cent a year earlier and 11.9 per cent in June 2022. The proportion who are over 65 has remained broadly unchanged at around 33.1 per cent. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said: 'Thanks to this government's record investment, reforms and the hard work of NHS staff, we've cut the waiting list by over 260,000 since July 2024, which also fell for the first time in 17 years in April and May outside the pandemic. On top of this, we have also delivered 4.6m appointments – more than double the 2m we promised. 'This government is delivering the fundamental reform needed to turn our NHS around, and our 10-year health plan will build on this progress, to ensure we meet our target that 92 per cent of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks for treatment by March 2029.' The DHSC did not comment on the three million unseen patients.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Essex NHS trust expands award-winning programme to support 'rising stars'
A talent development programme aimed at supporting rising stars in the NHS from minority ethnic backgrounds has been expanded. The Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) launched the Resilience, Intelligence, Strength, and Excellence (RISE) initiative four years ago. This year, the award-winning programme was broadened to include staff across the mid and south Essex Integrated Care System. Paul Taylor, director of organisational development and culture at EPUT, said: "Across the mid and south Essex system, we benefit from having a diverse workforce with an incredible breadth of talent, much of which can go untapped. Read more Shrimpers striker Spasov excited to face his former side in friendly Driver, 88, failed eyesight test after causing death by dangerous driving in Essex "EPUT established the RISE programme to play a vital role in bringing this to light, making space, and elevating that potential." It is aimed at increasing the number of senior leaders from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds. The programme has so far seen 187 participants graduate, including 20 staff members this year alone. EPUT was named Best Employer for Diversity and Inclusion at the Nursing Times Workforce Awards 2024 for RISE.
