A thought piece by David Kidney, Executive Chair of WM Health Technologies Cluster Ltd
July 2025
NHS England has announced a major increase in robotic surgery over the next decade as part of radical plans to cut waiting times. Half a million operations will be supported by the trailblazing approach every year by 2035, up from 70,000 in 2023/24, according to NHS projections. And 9 in 10 of all keyhole surgeries, such as the removal of certain organs affected by cancer, will be delivered with robot assistance within the next 10 years.
This news got me thinking about HealthTech applications of developments in robotics – Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) to be precise. Many people in the region will be familiar by now with the NHS option of robotic surgery. A new report by Make UK, the leading voice for UK manufacturing and engineering, outlines the potential for RAS technologies across the region’s industrial base and calls for urgent, coordinated action to scale up adoption.
This was a joint study in partnership with the West Midlands RAS Cluster, commissioned by the West Midlands Combined Authority. The conclusions draw on insights from over 100 manufacturers. It identifies an adoption rate of more than 80% in basic applications, but that more advanced systems can achieve higher productivity. These are being held back by a lack of financial, technical and policy support, especially for SMEs. In addition, lack of training provision and ready-to-hire RAS skills make staffing a challenge.
The rewards for following the advice contained in this report could be substantial – improved patient care with better outcomes, support for an over-burdened health service and more business for health technologies employers in the West Midlands. Might there be funding available for tackling the obstacles that the report identifies are holding us back?
Ministers have announced a £22.5bn a year commitment in research and development (R&D) over the next four years, including up to £500m for regional authorities to target the investment locally. The announcement came just ahead of the Spending Review. New drug treatments, longer-lasting batteries and developing artificial intelligence are among research projects that will receive funding as part of an £86bn government investment into science and technology. Scope here, perhaps, for accessing funding that will drive a step-change in RAS adoption and spread in the West Midlands?
