The Shelford Surgical Training in Advanced Robotic Technology (START) programme will start with the North West, North East and East of England regions.

The Shelford Group has partnered with the Newcastle Surgical Training Centre to develop the programme. The START programme provides the opportunity for surgical trainees to develop their skills, knowledge and expertise in RAS, at an earlier stage in their career across Intuitive's da Vinci, CMR Surgical's Versius and Medtronic's Hugo RAS surgical systems. 

The training, based on the successful Northern Robotics Training Programme, has more than 50 surgical trainees registered for the pilot year and will involve a range of simulation tasks and hands-on wet lab training.  Trainees will also be provided access to a bespoke skills tracker, which outlines predefined surgical skills and competencies required for each phase of their training, allowing them to track and evaluate their progress throughout the course.

The programme meets the recommendations of the national guidance on implementation of robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) in England. It is also supported by the Royal College of Surgeons of England, which is collaborating with the Shelford Group by using their quality assurance and accreditation processes to ensure that the programme provides trainees with the highest standards of surgical training and education.

Professor Alan Horgan, director, Newcastle Surgical Robotic Training Centre, said: ‘The START programme is a multi-phased, long-term training course that reflects the complex and evolving skill set required for performance of safe and effective robotic surgery. As it continues to roll out nationally, this programme will be a key step in supporting the NHS to build a sustainable pipeline of surgeons equipped with the necessary skills for robotics surgery in the future.'

Tim Mitchell, president of the Royal College of Surgeons for England, said: ‘Robotic-assisted surgery has the potential to transform patient care by enhancing surgical precision, improving visualisation, and supporting better operative outcomes, as well as enabling faster recovery and fewer complications. It is a rapidly developing area of surgical expertise, and the College welcomes initiatives such as the START programme that aim to advance training and education in this field.'

Professor Clive Kay, chair of the Shelford Group and chief executive of King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘Building on this pilot, we hope to roll out the programme more widely to broaden access and help build a workforce with the surgery skills they will need for the future.'

Surgical trainee Mohammed El Bahnasawi, urology ST5 registrar at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, said: ‘It's been fantastic to have the opportunity to learn across different robotic surgery platforms for the first time. It's given me more confidence using the equipment in my surgical practice, and I'm looking forward to developing my skills further as the programme progresses.'