The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), British Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE) and the British and Irish Association of Robotic Gynaecological Surgeons (BIARGS) have welcomed new funding for robotic-assisted surgery across the NHS announced in the Autumn Budget. They are calling for part of this investment to be ring-fenced for gynaecology, where robotics has the potential to improve care for women and help to tackle long waiting lists.
• The latest NHS England data, covering August 2026, shows the gynaecology waiting list now stands at 585,378.
• Under 60% of patients were seen within the Government's 18-week standard in August 2026, compared with average of over 65% across all elective specialties.
• Demand has continued to remain high with 115,000 new referrals in August 2026 and on average 125,594 seen this year.
Dr Alison Wright, President of the RCOG, said: “I am delighted to hear about this exciting investment in robotic surgery. It’s a solution that we are already progressing in gynaecology and has the potential to benefit thousands more women.
“We need a share of this funding to be ring-fenced for gynaecology, so women aren’t left behind as robotic surgery expands across the NHS. Gynaecology waiting lists remain among the longest in the NHS, and too many women are living with pain and poor quality of life while they wait for surgery.
“Robotic surgery is changing what's possible in gynaecological care by widening access to minimal access surgery and reducing recovery times. Hospitals are already starting to see shorter stays and less pain after surgery. That means faster recovery for women and theatre capacity freed up to treat more women.
“It is crucial that the funding doesn't stop at just the robots themselves. Access to surgery and training still varies across the country, so we need investment in protected time and structured training for our workforce. That way the next generation of gynaecologists can use this technology and every woman can benefit, whatever her background and wherever she lives.”
Dr Rebecca Mallick, President of the BSGE, said: "The BSGE warmly welcomes this new investment in robotic-assisted surgery. This represents a significant opportunity to address the longstanding inequity in access to robotics for non-cancer gynaecological surgery and ensure that women are not left behind as surgical technology advances.
"Robotic surgery is already demonstrating benefits in complex gynaecological procedures, particularly for women with endometriosis and fibroids, but its applications extend much further. By embracing the wider potential of this technology across gynaecological practice, we have an opportunity to improve surgical efficiency, treat more women and help reduce the long waiting times for gynaecological care.
"Importantly, robotics also offers benefits for our surgical workforce, improving ergonomics, reducing physical strain and potentially supporting longer, more sustainable surgical careers."
Mr Simon Butler-Manuel, President of the BIARGs, said: "At BIARGS, we believe robotics will make minimal access surgery available to far more women, with better outcomes as a result. Today, most major gynaecological operations are still performed through traditional open incisions, many of which could be avoided. Evidence gathered by our members from the most complex procedures, such as gynaecological cancer surgery, shows that practice has already been transformed. We now want to bring those benefits to the more common, lower-risk operations for non-cancer gynaecological conditions.”
The RCOG is already taking action to prepare the next generation of gynaecologists for robotic surgery. Through its Surgical Skills Project, trainees said they wanted earlier exposure to emerging technologies, clearer training pathways and fairer access to robotic surgery. In response, the College launched two pilot robotic surgery courses in September.
One was a discovery day introducing trainees to robotic systems, and the other was a course supporting senior trainees towards supervised robotic practice. The early results are striking. Before the discovery day, 91% of trainees had never had any robotics training. By the end of the day, 91% felt confident using robotic simulation independently and all participants felt prepared to continue developing their robotic skills.
ENDS
• The RCOG will continue to call on the Government to prioritise tackling gynaecology waiting times through long-term investment in the workforce, training and facilities and with clear, funded implementation plans for the commitments made in the renewed Women’s Health Strategy. Read more about this work: Addressing waiting times gynaecology services | RCOG
• Access our gynaecology waiting lists data dashboard here: RCOG Waiting times
• Read more about the Surgical Skills project here: Surgical skills project | RCOG
• Expressions of interest for a Discovery Day - Tuesday 17 November: We are inviting expressions of interest for this free, in-person event that is designed for O&G trainees who want to learn more about robotic surgery, gain insight into theatre workflow and explore future training opportunities in a rapidly evolving field. Register your interest here: RCOG & Specialist Societies Robotic Surgical Skills Programme Expression of Interest
• Read more about the BSGE here: The British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy | BSGE
• BIARGS was established in 2010 to enable the safe delivery and wider uptake of robotically assisted surgery for women facing gynaecological surgery. From the outset BIARGS has been involved in clinical governance including standard setting, audit, education, training, and training of Trainers in gynaecological surgery. BIARGS developed the SITM in robotic gynaecological surgery with RCOG for ST5-7 trainees introduced in 2024, and continues to push for the inclusion of robotic surgical skills into the core specialist training Years 1-4. Read more about BIARGs here: BIARGS