A health campaigner has highlighted concerns about disparities in access to robotic cancer surgery for residents of Walsall, the only hospital in the Black Country currently without this advanced technology.
Ian Shires, a patient advocate and former councillor, pointed out that the absence of a soft tissue surgical robot at Walsall Manor Hospital forces patients to choose between traditional surgery-which often involves longer recovery times and greater pain-or transfer by ambulance to Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital for robotic procedures.
Mr Shires criticised the existing arrangement as inconsistent with both the National Cancer Plan and the Government’s 10-year “NHS Fit For The Future” initiative, which emphasise the importance of equitable patient access and the enhancement of patient experience through modern technologies.
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The NHS Trust responded that it is currently developing a Black Country-wide robotic surgery strategy to support the equitable expansion of robotic services across the region.
It also noted that Walsall Manor Hospital’s postoperative outcomes compare favourably with neighbouring trusts. Over the past year, the hospital’s average post-elective operative length of stay was 2.6 days, slightly better than the Black Country average of 2.8 days.
Mr Shires, who serves as a patient advocate for the West Midlands Cancer Alliance and is a National Cancer Forum Public Voice Partner, said:
“Our surgeons and clinicians at Walsall Manor Hospital are held in the highest esteem by their patients. They deliver outstanding care with the resources they have. The problem is not clinical skill-it is the unequal distribution of modern surgical technology across the Black Country. Walsall residents deserve the same standard of modern cancer care as every other part of the Black Country. At the moment, they simply do not have it.”
Raising the issue at the Joint Royal Wolverhampton and Walsall NHS Trust Board meeting, Mr Shires acknowledged positive discussions with NHS leadership about the future inclusion of robotic surgery at Walsall.
Dr Brian McKaig, Group Chief Medical Officer, stated:
“We are working with partners across the Black Country to develop a system-wide Robotic Surgery Strategy, which aims to support the equitable and sustainable development of robotic surgery services across the region to better serve our patients. In the meantime, Walsall Manor Hospital continues to deliver high-quality surgical care, with outcomes that compare favourably with other Black Country Trusts.”
While recognising improvements reflected in hospital stay figures attributed to the professionalism of the Colorectal team, Mr Shires emphasised that introducing robotic surgery would further enhance patient outcomes and experience, aligning treatment standards across the region.