Guy's and St Thomas' takes delivery of fourth surgical robot

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust has added a fourth surgical robot to to its collection in a bid to speed up cancer operations delayed by the pandemic. The new addition joins three 4th generation da Vinci surgical systems from manufacturer Intuitive which the trust already owns and with four machines, the trust now has the largest robotic programme in the UK currently. The new robot, which is on loan until the end of the year, will operate on NHS patients from the private floors of the Cancer Centre at Guy's as part of a collaboration with private healthcare provider, HCA Healthcare UK. The new delivery will help to clear a backlog of surgical procedures and it is also hoped it will lead to improved patient outcomes. The use of robots in surgery leads to increased operative precision which can mean less pain for patients, smaller scars and reduced hospital stays post-surgery.