UK’s NHS plans to carry out 500,000 robot-assisted operations a year by 2035

By 2035, the NHS wants half a million surgeries each year to be performed with the help of robots. It's a bold move, but one that could revolutionize healthcare as we know it — and seriously cut those daunting waiting lists. Right now, only about 1 in 5 keyhole surgeries use robot assistance. But if all goes to plan, that'll jump to 9 in 10.

Sir Jim Mackey, NHS chief executive, didn't mince words: "Expanding the use of new and exciting tech such as robotic surgery will play a huge part in this." And for patients, the promise is crystal clear — faster procedures, smoother recoveries, and less time spent in hospital beds.

How does it work?

Imagine a surgeon sitting at a high-tech console, peering into a 3D view of the body. In their hands? Joysticks that guide robotic arms holding razor-sharp, nimble tools. That's robotic-assisted surgery in a nutshell. It combines the precision of machines with the expertise of trained hands.

Compared to traditional keyhole surgery — which already avoids the trauma of large incisions — robots add even more finesse. The result?

• Smaller cuts
• Less blood loss
• Quicker healing
• And surgeons who don't wear themselves out during long, complex procedures

John McGrath, a consultant surgeon and chair of the NHS England committee on robotic surgery, summed it up well: "Robot-assisted surgery is a perfect example of innovation improving patients' care and transforming the way the NHS works."

Why does it matter?

Long NHS waiting times aren't just frustrating — they can be life-altering. That's why the push toward robotic surgery matters. It's not just about fancy tech; it's about clearing backlogs and getting people the care they need, faster.

Here's what's at stake:

• Speed: More surgeries in less time means shorter queues
• Safety: Less room for error with robot-steady hands
• Recovery: Some patients are heading home in half the time
• Cost-efficiency: Quicker turnover means better use of hospital resources

Just ask Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary. He had kidney cancer and credits a robot-assisted surgery with helping save his life: "The NHS saved my life from kidney cancer with an operation led by a world-class surgeon being helped by a robot."

That kind of endorsement hits home.

The context

The big leap forward comes with NHS England's first national roadmap on robotic surgery. That means hospitals finally have a guidebook on how to roll out these systems safely and efficiently.

Here's where things stand:

• 70,000 robot-assisted surgeries were done in 2023/24
• The target? 500,000 a year by 2035
• 11 robotic systems have been conditionally approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): 5 for soft tissue operations (hernia repair, tumor removal, etc.), and 6 for orthopedic work (hips, knees, the usual suspects)

And it's not just elective surgeries. The NHS expects to use robots for emergency cases too, where precision could mean the difference between life and death.

Costs are coming down. Training is scaling up. And according to McGrath, "as efficient patient pathways are embedded in robotic programmes," this will become the norm — not the novelty.