Guy’s Hospital has been lent a new surgery robot to help cover the backlog of cancer surgeries delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ben Challacombe, clinical lead for robotic surgery at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said: “Taking a robot on loan is a creative solution to the backlog of cancer and other complex operations caused by the pandemic and a real win for our patients.
“The benefits of robotic surgery include increased operative precision, leading to less pain, smaller scars and less time in hospital so patients can recover quicker.
“We are always looking for new and different ways to deliver the best care and our partnership with Intuitive and HCA Healthcare UK is a perfect example of that.”
Manufacturer Intuitive loaned Guy’s the fourth robot. David Marante, the company’s regional director in the UK and Ireland, said: “The pandemic has highlighted that there is a need for a transformative approach to the NHS’s recovery, and the use of our da Vinci robotic-assisted surgical technology aims to improve outcomes for patients and lower the total cost of care in ways that have never been more pertinent.
“We are dedicated to doing all we can to provide innovative solutions to the NHS to continue to tackle the surgical backlog and expand access so that more patients can benefit from minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery.”
The NHS surgeries will take place on the private care floor at Guy’s hospital, run by HCA Healthcare UK.
Janene Madden, CEO of private care at Guy’s, added: “We are proud to be working with Guy’s and St Thomas’ and Intuitive to extend access to robotic surgery to more NHS patients. This is part of our partnership with the Trust to support the delivery of time critical complex care throughout the pandemic.”