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Issue No. 38 Winter 23/24
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YourTRUST
DudleyGroupNHS
Trust proud to be providing excellent care
Chief Executive Diane Wake
A message from our chief executive Diane Wake
Dudley consultant urologist Mr Syed Shahzad and Mr Mark Rochester from Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital use the Intuitive Hub to collaborate with each other
Delivering UK first in renal robotic surgery
In December 2023, the UK’s �irst long distance proctoring surgical procedure was carried out at Russells Hall Hospital by two consultants who were 170 miles apart!
Dudley consultant urologist Mr Syed Shahzad performed a complex robot-assisted partial nephrectomy during surgery while consultant urologist Mr Mark Rochester remotely entered the operating theatre via the Intuitive Hub from almost 200 miles away in Norfolk. During the surgery, Mr Rochester, from Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, had full access to the operation in real time and the surgeons communicated through a headset without any time-delay. Mr Syed Shahzad said: “Robotic-assisted renal surgery is a great
success story for Black Country collaboration and this is a proud day for The Dudley Group. The use of remote technology will support surgeons during complex procedures which could lead to better patient care and provide a better patient experience.” This complex robotic-assisted operation includes removal of tumour from the kidney as opposed to removing the whole kidney, which adds to patients’ health and longevity. This allows preservation of kidneys and avoids the need for dialysis. Chief executive Diane Wake said: “Robotics availability at The Dudley Group will help reduce waiting times for renal cancer surgery with enhanced capacity and improved surgical outcomes.” Mr Rochester said: “As an experienced trainer, I have helped many surgeons to safely set up robot-as-
sisted surgical programmes for kidney cancer. Usually this requires me to travel to be in the theatre with the surgeon but with this new technology, it is possible for me to see the same view as the operating surgeon and speak to them in real time from my desk. It is great to be able to support other surgeons with advice and guidance using this new platform and to share the experience we have built up at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.” The Black Country Integrated Care System is leading in terms of expansion in robotic-assisted surgery, and this is a great achievement of Black Country collaboration and exemplary initiative to improve cancer care within the region. The induction and implementation of a robot-assisted renal programme can be a challenging and
complex task. Remote proctoring supports this implementation by allowing trainee surgeons to learn from specialised urologist surgeons, without the need for them to be in the same room. Intuitive Hub allows surgeons to collaborate virtually with each other, transmitting and receiving real-time audio and video. Remote surgeons can have a view of the operating theatre as well as the endoscopic view of the surgery itself. Through this technology, surgeons can communicate and share their perspectives without the need for travel during complex procedures. It also enables peer-to-peer learning without the need to travel, making training and upskilling in robot-assisted surgery more accessible.
Welcome to the latest edition of Your Trust. Our previous edition celebrated 75 years of the NHS, and it is safe to say the way healthcare is delivered has come a long way since the NHS was founded in 1948. As a Trust, we are proud to be delivering excellent and innovative care to the people of Dudley. In this edition, we will be highlighting some brilliant examples of innovation, such as robotic-assisted renal surgery. In December, the UK’s �irst long distance proctoring surgical procedure was carried out at Russells Hall Hospital, with one of our consultant urologists performing surgery with the assistance of a surgeon 200 miles away in Norfolk! Robot-assisted surgery is also in place for our knee and hip replacement surgeries. These cutting-edge treatments will help us reduce waiting times and improve outcomes for you, our patients, and I am delighted that these procedures will be more accessible for those in Dudley and the wider Black Country region. I am also thrilled to share our recent ‘Good’ rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for our children and young people services. This is a huge achievement for our Trust and is largely down to the commitment of our staff delivering these services. They have been committed to ensuring that improvements have been made, and I am so pleased that their hard work has been re�lected by this new CQC rating, which demonstrates our drive to provide the very best services for children and young people.
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