Versius has been adopted by the Trust to offer patients greater access to minimal access surgery (MAS), otherwise known as keyhole surgery. MAS is associated with a range of benefits for patients including less pain, reduced risk of infection, reduced recovery time and a shorter stay in hospital compared with traditional open surgery. For example, in nephrectomies – the removal of a kidney – MAS has been found to typically reduce a patient’s time in hospital by half. i
The programme at East Surrey Hospital will see surgeons from across upper GI, colorectal, general surgery, gynaecology and urology all utilising Versius. Due to its small, modular form, Versius can be easily transported between hospital departments and operating rooms.
Michael Wilson, Chief Executive of Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, commented: “We are delighted to be making history at the Trust today with the introduction of our first surgical robot which will be part of a multi-specialty programme. It’s fantastic that with Versius, surgical robotics has become more accessible than ever before, allowing many more patients to benefit from the latest health technology within their local communities.”
Professor Abhay Rane, Consultant Urological Surgeon at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, adds: “We have actively chosen to adopt this new technology from CMR Surgical, a British company; this represents a positive milestone for the Trust and our patients. Versius’ clear 3D visualisation gives surgeons greater precision and control, thereby allowing for safer surgery with improved outcomes in the long run. It will be used in due course by all of our surgical specialties here at our Trust thereby benefiting a significant number of patients.”
The continued expansion of Versius within the NHS represents an important development for CMR Surgical as it continues to demonstrate significant value to patients, surgeons and leading health systems globally.
Mark Slack, Chief Medical Officer at CMR Surgical, said: “We are thrilled that the team at East Surrey has chosen to adopt Versius to support them in offering more MAS to patients across the hospital. In designing Versius our goal was to provide a versatile and portable surgical robotic system – that could fit into virtually any operating room – to realise our mission to transform the field of minimal access surgery and make it available to many more patients around the world.”
About Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust was formed on 1 April 1998 following a merger between East Surrey Healthcare NHS and Crawley Horsham NHS Trusts.
At East Surrey Hospital, Redhill we have 800 beds and provide acute and complex services. In addition, we provide a range of outpatient, diagnostic and less complex planned services at The Earlswood Centre, Caterham Dene Hospital in Surrey, and at Crawley and Horsham Hospitals in West Sussex.
SASH is a major local employer, with a diverse workforce of over 5,000 providing healthcare services to a growing population of around 535,000.