Redditch Hospital to Start Robotic Assisted Prostate Surgery
Prostate cancer patients could soon receive life-changing robotic surgeries at the Redditch-based Alexandria Hospital from later this year. The facility is set to launch the robot assisted procedure after an eight-year fundraising campaign.
A Few Patients Leave The Country For Prostate Surgery Needs
Reports indicate that about 80 patients are forced to travel out of the country every year for prostate surgery services.
The Alexandra Hospital engaged contractors to upgrade and refurbish an operating theatre that will be used in robotic-assisted surgery when the facility rolls out the service later this year. It is expected that it will take at least six weeks to complete the work.
The refurbishment process will include reinforcing the theatre floor to ensure that it will accommodate the weight of the robots and upgrading the facility’s ventilation system. A few refurbishments and redecorations will also be made.
The Worcestershire Acute NHS Trust has rolled out the process of recruiting two consultant urologists that will be needed to foresee the treatments. It is estimated that it will cost £3.6 million to set the state-of-the-art equipment, undertake the recruitment and training operations, and make the facility habitable for the innovations.
Investing in the Transformation
Similarly, reports indicate that a sum of £500,000 was raised by the facility’s supporters before the plans were halted during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In essence, the planned robotic-assisted Radical Prostatectomy (RARP) procedure will mean shorter stays in hospital, reduced pain, and quicker recovery among patients with prostate cancer. Remember, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among men in the world.
The trust’s divisional director for surgery specialties, Stephen Goodyear revealed that the new facility would be very effective in making the Trust an attractive workplace or training facility for clinical staff drawn from a wide range of specialties and roles like theatre practitioners and surgeons.
The Chief Executive Officer of Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Mathew Hopkins termed the new development as a noble element in the plans laid by the facility for the future of its services and that of the other affiliated hospitals. Mathew Hopkins also revealed that upon completion, the robotic-assisted surgical facility will be a clear demonstration of the commitments that the management has made to provide the best experiences of care and outcomes for the diverse patient segments it serves.
The new developments have not only appealed those in the field of medicine but also a range of politicians in the region. Rachel Maclean, the MP for Redditch has made multiple efforts to ensure that the long-held dream of building a state-of-the-art robot-assisted surgical facility becomes a reality ever since she was first elected.
In essence, the Member of Parliament has held consultative meetings with key stakeholders in the project like Acute Trust and Ian Jukes of the Rory the Robot Appeal (and the donor of the £500,000) to ensure that the service is offered at the Alexandra Hospital.
This investment only reveals the bright future that the Alexandra Hospital holds. The facility has seen the investment it deserves. Rachel revealed that the facility recently opened a brand new breast imaging unit and a Garden Suite.
It Is Important To See Robotics Integrations Into Hospital Systems
Robotics integrations into hospital systems are still gradually taking place and has not fully swept across the board. It is likely to take place over the next two decades as more parties seek to have better patient outcomes.