‘Robotic surgery is a game-changer and what people should expect on the NHS’

CONSULTANT HAILS ‘NEW STANDARD’ IN EMERGENCY CARE

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ROBOTIC surgery is transforming care at Portsmouth Hospitals University Trust (PHU), delivering improved outcomes for patients while proving its worth financially.

As the largest single da Vinci robotic centre in the UK, PHU has shown how precision robotics can shorten patient hospital stays, reduce complications and accelerate recovery.

This frees beds and ultimately cuts downstream costs.

Crucially, the productivity gains are magnified when robotics are combined with high-intensity theatre (HIT) lists, meticulously planned, rapid turnover operating sessions championed by my team, which allow more procedures into standard sessions without compromising safety.

HIT lists reduce downtime and maximise use of expensive capital equipment, improving cost-per-case economics.

Economic evaluations under way at Portsmouth, including the MAYFLY multispeciality outpatient research study, are explicitly measuring clinical and cost outcomes, seeking to demonstrate that higher upfront capital and consumable costs are offset by shorter lengths of stay, fewer readmissions and faster return to work.

For taxpayers and patients this matters. Robotic surgery can reduce average bed days per patient and lower complication-related expenses.

HIT lists also mean a single theatre and surgical team can safely deliver more operations in a day, spreading fixed costs across higher volumes.

That combination moves robotic surgery beyond expensive novelty to a scalable, value-for-money service within the National Health Service.

Portsmouth's experience shows investment, when paired with smart scheduling and robust outcome measurement, can both restore elective capacity and raise standards of care; a pragmatic blueprint for hospitals nationwide looking to marry fiscal responsibility with superior patient outcomes.