Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the adoption across the NHS of artificial intelligence systems that can assist surgeons in planning and delivering precision surgery.

Our 10-Year Health Plan commits to expanding robotic assisted surgery (RAS) adoption over the next decade. In 2025, 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 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the Office for Life Sciences, the NHS Supply Chain, the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, and clinical leads from a range of NHS provider trusts, is in place to support the RAS programme to deliver Government commitments. This committee also looks at innovation in robotic assisted surgery, including artificial intelligence.

The programme team engages regularly with suppliers of surgical robotic platforms to ensure adoption is aligned with the latest technological developments in RAS.

Decisions to offer RAS are agreed at an integrated care board and trust level, in line with local population need.