Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the interim targets for (1) 2027, (2) 2028, and (3) 2029, in the course of meeting the commitment of 500,000 operations supported by robotics each year by 2035.

Our 10-Year Health Plan commits to expanding robotic assisted surgery (RAS) adoption over the next decade. We will establish national registries for robotic surgery data from 2029 and telesurgery networks to support geographical equity of access of robotic assisted surgery. The national robotic surgery registry will support evidence generation, future reporting, and decision making. Last year, NHS England published the first national guidance for the implementation of RAS in the National Health Service, offering guidance on procurement, commissioning, implementation, training, and evaluation.

A national steering committee, with representation from across the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, the Office for Life Sciences, NHS Supply Chain, and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is already in place to support the RAS programme to deliver Government commitments. This will help to set the pace and scale in relation to targets of RAS numbers. Decisions to offer robotic assisted surgery are agreed at an integrated care board and trust level, in line with local population need.

The Department and NHS England are working closely with NHS trusts and regions to understand the key barriers and facilitators to adoption. The RAS steering committee is working together to identify provider trusts and regional alliances that are planning further expansion of RAS.