Our first robot surgery “could not have gone better” - with our patient up and on his way home less than 48 hours later.

Ken Idle, from Cleckheaton, said his care last Wednesday had been “top notch” from start to finish – a first by our Versius robot (which is also the first in Yorkshire).

He said he had been put totally at ease throughout after he came in for a removal of part of the bowel, following a cancer diagnosis.

He said: “When they told me it was going to be robot surgery, I did wonder... but then I wasn’t going to say no. And the next day, I saw Miss Grey’s smile and I knew it had had all gone well.”

He was discharged on Friday and now awaits the results to find out if he needs ongoing treatment.

Ahead of discharge from HRI Ward 10 (pictured below), Mr Idle said: “I am very happy. I have had excellent care I could not fault in any respect. It has been brilliant. Top notch.

“The anaesthetist put me at ease at the start, then when Miss Grey came towards me the next day her smile said it all. Then she said it could not have gone better and that just meant everything to me.”

Tamsyn, said: “We are really pleased it went well.  Robot surgery means less pain, less time in hospital and better outcomes for our patients. We are delighted with the outcome.”

Our second patient has also now had surgery and been discharged. The robot will be used on a daily basis and used by more teams in urology and gynaecology.”

Surgery’s Deputy Director of Operation, Laura Cooper,  said: “It’s great to see something so innovative here at CHFT improving patient outcomes. The programme is going in the right direction.”

**The robot has a nickname. It’s Obstructimus Prime from the Transformer movies and was christened by oncologist Samantha Turnbull. Pictured are Mr Idle with with the surgical team with Tamsyn, second left, registrar Sean Henderson, left and Ibrar Hussain, right. And below with the nursing team on ward 10.