Royal Stoke University Hospital has completed more than 5,000 robotic-assisted procedures, and prepares to continue expanding its robotic surgery programme with a £12 million donation.

The hospital announced that they had reached the major milestone during a two-day event, hosted across Royal Stoke and Keele University, on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 February.

As part of 'Celebrating a Decade of Robotic Surgery', the event, which featured live surgery streaming, hands-on simulation sessions and robotic surgery masterclasses, brought together surgeons, trainees, students and industry partners.

The event showcased how robotic surgery is transforming patient care across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.

To date, robotic surgery at Royal Stoke has reduced average patient length of stay by two days, saving around 3,000 bed days each year. 

Philip Varghese, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, said: "Reaching our 5,000th robotic surgery patient is an incredible milestone for our teams, and this expansion significantly strengthens our ability to deliver robotic surgery across a wider range of complex procedures.

"Access to a versatile, multi-procedure robot will enable minimally invasive emergency and cardiac surgery, improving outcomes, reducing recovery times and avoiding the need for more invasive open procedures."

The milestone has been reached thanks to the work of surgical teams across University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM), and the support of the Denise Coates Foundation and UHNM Charity.

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Philip Varghese explained that 'reaching our 5,000th robotic surgery patient is an incredible milestone for our teams' (image supplied)

Royal Stoke is now hoping to significantly expand its robotic surgery programme following a £12 million donation by the Denise Coates Foundation.

The expansion aims enable a wider range of complex procedures, including emergency and cardiac surgery, to benefit more than 1,000 additional patients each year and increase the number of bed days saved to at least 5,000 annually.

Commenting on the Foundation's donation, Denise Coates CBE said: "We are delighted to have supported Royal Stoke University Hospital on its journey to reaching 5,000 robotic surgery patients, and to help enable the next phase of expansion.

"This investment will allow more patients across the region to benefit from world-leading surgical care closer to home.

"Supporting projects that make a lasting difference to local communities remains a core focus of the Foundation."

As part of the next phase, Royal Stoke will become the first hospital in the UK to introduce the latest da Vinci 5 Surgical Systems for both adult and paediatric patients.

The new systems use Force Feedback technology, allowing surgeons to feel tissue resistance in real time, improving control, reducing unnecessary force and supporting safer, more precise surgery.

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Total robotic capacity will increase to six systems, establishing Royal Stoke as the UK's largest robotic surgery centre and taking it a step closer to becoming a Robotics Centre of Excellence.

The additional £12 million charitable donation from the Denise Coates Foundation builds on earlier philanthropic investment in robotic surgery and healthcare innovation at Royal Stoke, taking total donations to £29 million.