Left to right: Guru Kholgade, surgery matron, Sir David, Reena Peter, senior sister for theatres, and Linda Cha-Cha, gynae sister (Credit: BHRUT)
The £1.7m machine will allow surgeons to operate through smaller incisions, making surgery less invasive and helping patients recover faster. It is controlled from a console.
This is the second robot within the Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) and will be used to operate on up to 200 patients a year.
Sir David was taken on a tour of the hospital’s Covid protected green zone so he could see how it has allowed the trust to successfully run a series of ‘Bones’ weeks.
During the sessions, the trust focuses its resources to carry out a much higher number of surgeries than in an average week. Five times the amount of joint replacements were done during the most recent one in July.
Sinead Skelton, senior sister on Iris ward, showed him their ‘Our Covid Journey’ wall display, reflecting on their experience of the pandemic. She explained how, as well as a reminder for staff of all they’ve achieved, it was also proving a talking point with patients.
Kuldip Chagger, a matron in the Urology Department, explained changes the service had made to continue seeing patients safely during the pandemic, including relocating to the green zone.
Speaking of her experiences she said: “It’s been tough and emotional; I think we’ve worked on adrenaline for a lot of it and all pulled together. I’ve now had the chance to reflect. I’m part of an amazing team which I’m really proud to work for.”
Sir David said: “It was an inspiring visit to King George Hospital. I was impressed by the quality of clinical leadership, and I found everyone to be relentlessly patient-centered. The patients I spoke to were also full of praise for the staff.
“The Trust has been doing amazing work during the global pandemic, and I will take away a sense of team, mutual respect, and professional pride.
“I would personally like to thank each and every one of the team for your dedication and commitment to providing excellent care.”
For more on this story, and the latest on our other local and national news, listen to Time 107.5FM
Tags: BHRUT, NHS, Covid-19, Sir David Sloman, COVID