Through the programme, Versius is used for robotic assisted minimal access surgery at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital, Cardiff & Vale University Health Board’s Cardiff University Hospital; and Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board’s Royal Glamorgan Hospital.
Wales is the first country in the world to introduce a national surgical robotics programme, in partnership with industry, that aims to transform quality of care and outcomes for patients. As part of a national innovation drive to improve surgical outcomes for cancer patients, Versius is being used within the National Robotic Assisted Programme to perform a range of robotic-assisted surgical procedures across colorectal surgery, gynaecology and upper GI surgery. Through the programme, more than 90 staff spanning 14 surgical teams across the three hospitals have been trained with a total of 821 hours of surgery performed.
Versius is designed to biomimic the human arm, empowering surgeons through optimized port placement together with the dexterity and accuracy of small, fully wristed instruments. Versius is compact, and modular, allowing for it to be integrated into busy hospital workflows and easily moved between surgical departments, supporting high utilisation of the system. Thanks to the system’s versatility, Versius is being used in two or more multiple surgical specialties across all three sites for a range of routine and complex surgical procedures, including hemicolectomies, hysterectomies and cholecystectomies. The 500th case completed within the programme was an anterior resection, a procedure commonly used to treat rectal cancers and other bowel diseases, performed by Jared Torkington, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at Cardiff & Vale University Health Board.
In partnership with Welsh Health Boards, and Life Sciences Hub Wales, CMR have helped to develop a robotic network in Wales by supporting the implementation of Versius systems, delivering training and education countrywide, supporting research, and providing the CMR global clinical registry and wider digital ecosystem to understand the development of patient outcomes and to standardise care.
Jared Torkington, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at Cardiff & Vale University Health Board and Lead Clinician for the All-Wales National Robotic Assisted Programme who performed the 500th case commented: “Having been involved in the programme since its inception, it is exciting to acknowledge this significant milestone. From the outset, this national programme has embraced the latest innovation in Versius to drive improved patient outcomes and bring together surgical teams and resources. We are using the programme to highlight the importance of early presentation and existing screening programmes in Bowel and other cancers – positively changing public attitudes and behaviours. It is wonderful to reflect see the progress that has been made, and the diversity of system usage across multiple surgical specialties, so that more patients across Wales can have access to this cutting-edge technology.”
Mark Slack, Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer at CMR Surgical commented: “It has been wonderful to see the All-Wales National Robotic Assisted Surgery Programme reach this milestone, and all the progress that has been made with Versius. There are clear parallels between CMR’s mission to make the benefits of minimal access surgery more accessible to patients globally and the objectives of the programme; and seeing how each site is using Versius across multiple surgical specialties affirms that the programme is fulfilling its objectives to transform the experience of surgery, quality of care, and outcomes for patients. CMR are immensely proud to be a partner of this landmark initiative and look forward to seeing the progress the programme continues to make for patients in Wales by providing them access to life changing innovation.”
Cari-Anne Quinn, Chief Executive Officer at Life Sciences Hub Wales commented: “We’re delighted to see the progress of the All-Wales National Robotic Assisted Surgery Programme to accelerate innovative robotic surgery access, and the impact this initiative has had for patients across Wales. It Is heartening to see the programme reach this important 500 case milestone, exemplifying what can be achieved for our patients when hospitals partner with industry to implement innovation such as Versius on a national scale. We look forward to continued collaboration across NHS Wales to drive this transformative initiative.”
Commencing in 2022, the All-Wales Robotic Assisted Surgery Programme is a first-of-its-kind nation-wide surgical robotics programme. It aims to transform care and outcomes for cancer patients across Wales by increasing availability of advanced technologies and techniques for precision surgery. CMR Surgical was appointed as the industry partner for the All-Wales Robotic Assisted Surgery Programme following a competitive procurement process, aligned to the National Value-Based Health Care Programme and with the goal of transforming the system of care throughout Wales.
