Newcastle has been selected to host a Robotics Adoption Hub as part of a £40m Government scheme. The project will explore how robotic surgical assistants can make operations less invasive, supporting quicker recovery and helping patients get home faster.
Eight hubs across the UK
The Government is rolling out a network of eight Robotics Adoption Hubs to help UK organisations become early adopters of new technology. Alongside Newcastle, hubs will be located in South Wales, Yorkshire and Milton Keynes, aiming to give businesses and public services practical support in adopting robotics and autonomous tech.
The scheme is backed by £40m of Government funding. Projects include bringing automation to fruit picking and a hub in the South East that will test how automation could improve waste and recycling management, enabling more materials to be recovered and less sent to landfill, as well as creating skilled jobs.
£7.4m for Newcastle Surgical Training Centre
The Newcastle Surgical Training Centre has been awarded £7.4m to set up a new national centre that will support NHS organisations as they introduce robotic surgery. The hub aims to ensure that greater use of robots in the NHS is supported by strong evidence, high quality training and safe clinical practice.
Prof David Deehan, consultant orthopaedic surgeon and co-founder of the Newcastle Surgical Training Centre, said: “This is a major opportunity for Newcastle, the North East and the NHS as a whole which recognises the expertise we have developed in robotic surgery, clinical education and innovation.
“Surgical robotics has the potential to transform surgical care for patients across the NHS, and it is important that decisions about its use are based on evidence and clinical need. Our surgical robotics adoption hub will help NHS organisations understand where they can make the biggest difference and support them to introduce this new technology safely and effectively.
“We are proud that Newcastle will lead this national programme and help shape the future of robotic surgery across the NHS.”
Government and industry backing
AI Minister Kanishka Narayan said the hubs will give businesses access to “specialist expertise, advice and support at their fingertips”.
He added: “Quicker recovery for patients, more time for businesses to focus on the work that makes a real difference, and more food on our tables. That’s the impact cutting-edge robotics technology can have up and down the country.
“If we can harness robotics in every sector of our economy, we can speed up how we reindustrialise the UK. It really is that simple, but too often businesses and bosses don’t know where to start. These new hubs will tackle that problem head-on – putting specialist expertise, advice, and support at their fingertips.
“That means they can embrace it with confidence, help deliver rewarding jobs, and improve lives for people in every community.”
Bruce Adderley, director of advanced manufacturing at Innovate UK (UK Research and Innovation), said: “Robotics has an important role to play in improving productivity, strengthening public services and driving economic growth. These Robotics Adoption Hubs will provide a vital bridge between cutting-edge technologies and the organisations that can benefit from them, building on regional strengths and expertise across the UK.
“By supporting adoption across a diverse range of sectors and locations, we’re helping businesses grow, attracting investment, strengthening local economies and translating innovation into jobs, productivity and growth in communities across the country.”
According to the Department for Business and Trade, if adoption of robotics and autonomous systems is maximised, it could add £150bn to the UK economy. At current levels of adoption, some £6.4bn is expected.
