A few months ago I had the pleasure of congratulating Northampton General Hospital when they received a brand new Da Vinci X Robot. The machine allows specially-trained human surgeons to perform keyhole surgeries in confined spaces in the human body, and is particularly valuable in treating patients with prostate cancer. It cost £1.7 million.
Regular readers of my updates may recall that I lobbied the government for this machine to be awarded to NGH, after having heard on an earlier visit that it was one of the hospital’s key wishes. I am pleased that our great hospital now has such a cutting-edge piece of equipment which is already saving lives.
During my visit in the last few days the Chairman of the Hospital Board and I confirmed the winner of a competition held for Northampton primary schools to name the machine. The winning name was “Stitch”.
This robot is significant step in the hospital’s ongoing and dedicated plan to ensure that Northamptonshire becomes a centre for outstanding cancer care.
The cost of the robot was met through the new ‘National Elective Recovery Target Investment Fund’ (TIF) which has been established as a part of the Government’s ‘Build Back Better Plan’ for health and social care.
This is an important and deserved improvement to patient experience and results- achieved only through this Government’s NHS budget being higher than it has ever been previously. In line with inflation, £20.5 billion a year will be received by the 2023/2024 financial year. This means that there is £600 million a week more, in cash terms, being invested into the NHS.
(Photo: the Da Vinci X Surgical Robot, also known as ’Stitch’)