West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals install two Versius systems in NHS first

- The West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (WHTH) is investing in two Versius systems from the outset, to be installed at Watford General Hospital

- The investment comes as part of WHTH's commitment to scaling up its robotic-assisted surgery programme and becoming a centre of excellence in minimally invasive robotic surgery

CAMBRIDGE, England, April 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CMR Surgical (CMR) – the global surgical robotics business – and West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (WHTH) announce that WHTH will be the first in the UK to install two Versius^® Surgical Robotic Systems.

This announcement builds on the trust's recently awarded teaching hospital status. Once fully implemented, WHTH plans to provide surgical procedures using Versius across multiple specialties, including colorectal, gynaecology, urology, and upper gastrointestinal surgery. WHTH intends to replicate the savings in bed days seen at sites with existing Versius programmes, helping to alleviate the pressure NHS services are facing with bed capacity.  

WHTH chose Versius because of its small, modular design, which means that it can be easily moved between departments and hospitals, and integrated into existing workflows, so that hospitals can maximise its usage. Further, Versius has an open console that facilitates clear verbal and non-verbal communication between the surgeon and surgical team.  

WHTH expects that scaling its surgical robotics programme will see more patients being offered a minimal access approach, bringing with it benefits that include a reduction in post-operative pain, blood loss and scarring as well as improved patient recovery times and a reduced stay in hospital for patients.

Vanash Patel, consultant colorectal surgeon at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, explained: "We are excited to implement our surgical robotics programme, helping to drive better outcomes for our patients. With Versius, our surgeons will be able to perform complex operations with the enhanced precision and control that robotics offer. We are committed to scaling up our robotics programme at speed and believe that having two robotic systems from the outset, which can be easily moved between operating rooms and integrated into existing workflows, will help us achieve this."

As well as investing in improved patient outcomes, WHTH hopes that the robotic surgery programme, alongside its teaching hospital status, will increase staff wellbeing, morale, and talent attraction and retention.

Mike van der Watt, Chief Medical Officer of West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We have seen from other trusts that investment in next generation surgical technology has helped attract and retain talent, whilst helping to alleviate the physical toll experienced by surgeons during surgery. With two Versius Surgical Robotic Systems, we will attract top talent as well as providing training and development opportunities for existing staff." Dr Mark Slack, Chief Medical Officer of CMR Surgical, commented: "We're hugely proud to partner with WHTH on an NHS-first implementation of two Versius systems. We know from previous partnerships, that as well as providing improved patient outcomes through access to MAS, and a more comfortable quality of working life for surgical teams, an investment in surgical robotics like this will truly put WHTH on the map as a centre for excellence in health technology."

CMR has successfully negotiated competitive tenders in numerous markets, through novel and flexible pricing models designed to increase access to transformative robotic assisted surgery.

Versius is established as a valuable surgical tool in a number of hospitals across Europe, India, Australia, and the Middle East.

Expansion of Versius within the NHS in the UK represents an important development for CMR as it continues to demonstrate significant value to patients, surgeons, and leading health systems globally.

Notes to editors:

The Versius^® Surgical Robotic System

Versius^® resets expectations of robotic surgery. Versius fits into virtually any operating room set-up and integrates seamlessly into existing workflows, increasing the likelihood of robotic minimal access surgery (MAS). The small, portable and modular design of Versius allows the surgeon to only use the number of arms needed for a given procedure.

Biomimicking the human arm, Versius gives surgeons the choice of optimised port placement alongside the dexterity and accuracy of small fully-wristed instruments. With 3D HD vision, easy-to adopt instrument control and a choice of ergonomic working positions, the open surgeon console has the potential to reduce stress and fatigue and allows for clear communication with the surgical team. By thinking laparoscopically and operating robotically with Versius, patients, surgeons and healthcare professionals can all benefit from the value that robotic MAS brings.

But it's more than just a robot. Versius captures meaningful data with its wider digital ecosystem to support a surgeon's continuous learning. Through the Versius Connect app, Versius Trainer and CMR clinical registry, Versius unleashes a wealth of insights to ultimately improve surgical care.

About CMR Surgical Limited

CMR Surgical (CMR) is a global medical devices company dedicated to transforming surgery with Versius^®, a next-generation surgical robot.

Headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, CMR is committed to working with surgeons, surgical teams and hospital partners, to provide an optimal tool to make robotic minimal access surgery universally accessible and affordable. With Versius, we are on a mission to redefine the surgical robotics market with practical, innovative technology and data that can improve surgical care.

Founded in 2014, CMR Surgical is private limited company backed by an international shareholder base.

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