Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals invest in £1.7 million surgical robot to help patients recover quicker

A new £1.7 million surgical robot is being used for the first time across Northamptonshire this week.

The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group – which runs Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals – has invested in the £1.7m surgical robot as part of its clinical strategy.

The robot is said to aid surgeons performing operations, by creating smaller wounds that heal faster.

Hemant Nemade is a consultant urological surgeon at Northampton General Hospital who will use the new robot to support cancer surgery.

He said: “Surgical robots have great benefits for patients. They enable us to do difficult surgeries in hard-to-reach areas with better outcomes for patients and shorter stays in hospital.

“The robot doesn’t carry out the operation – surgeons use the robot to enable more precision, flexibility and control.

“That means smaller wounds which heal faster and enable patients to go home earlier.

“Initially we will be focussed on cancer patients – particularly in areas with longer waiting lists as a result of the pandemic – and that will enable us to improve the way we deliver this often highly specialised surgery.

“It will also reduce the need for patients to travel to other specialist centres for difficult surgeries and be available to patients from across the county.”

The da Vinci XI surgical robot was installed in the main operating theatre at Northampton General Hospital at the end of February.

Procedures will be available to appropriate patients from across Northamptonshire. It will be used initially in urology and colorectal surgery.

Other areas such as gynaecology and head and neck cancer surgery will follow.

Northampton General Hospital’s chief executive, Heidi Smoult, added: “This is a major new investment and symbolises the sorts of improvements we are striving to achieve for Northamptonshire residents through our Group Clinical Strategy.

“We want to develop better care pathways for our patients, tackle waiting lists, develop high standards of clinical excellence, create a great place for staff to work and ensure the services across both hospitals are able to thrive into the future.”

The investment in robotic-assisted surgery supports the hospital group’s new Clinical Strategy, which was launched on February 21.

The strategy emphasises that both hospitals want to work together to improve care for patients in the county.