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The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) has accredited the Shelford Surgical Training in Advanced Robotic Technology (START) programme.

The START programme, developed in a partnership between the Shelford Group and ÃÛÌÒAPP Surgical Training Centre, based at Freeman Hospital, aims to deliver comprehensive, standardised surgical robotics training across   and the  RAS (robotic assisted surgery) system.

The official accreditation by RCS England recognises the programme’s high-quality educational standards and role in supporting the next generation of surgeons to develop skills in robotic-assisted surgery.

First of its kind

The START programme is the first platform agnostic robotics training programme for surgical trainees in the UK. It was developed by Professor Alan Horgan, who continues to serve as its clinical lead, and is currently available to general surgery trainees (commencing ST5) in the North East, North West and East of England with the ambition to broaden access as the programme expands later this year.

START offers trainees the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and expertise at an earlier stage in their career.

Taking place over 36–48 months, trainees progress through a structured, multi-phase curriculum that reflects the complex and evolving skill set required for safe and effective robotic-assisted surgery.

The programme combines e-learning, industry-led technology training, simulation tasks with performance metrics and feedback, and hands-on skills days using high-fidelity models, before progressing to bedside assisting, speciality-specific surgical skills lab training and supervised console experience.

A dedicated online skills tracker enables trainees to log activity, receive supervisor feedback and monitor progress against milestones.

Highest standards of surgical training

The Shelford Group has welcomed the support and accreditation from RCS England, helping to ensure the programme provides the highest standards of surgical training and education in this dynamic and fast developing area of healthcare.

Mr Tim Mitchell, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said:  

“Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) has the potential to transform patient care by enhancing surgical precision, improving visualisation, and supporting better operative outcomes, as well as enabling faster recovery and fewer complications.

“As the NHS expands its use of RAS, it is essential that surgeons have access to consistent, high-quality education. I am delighted that RCS England has accredited the Shelford START programme, which has demonstrated that it meets our programme accreditation standards and offers a high-quality learning experience for trainees.”

Future of NHS surgery

Professor Clive Kay, chair of the Shelford Group, added: “We developed START to help build a sustainable pipeline of surgeons with the skills needed for the future of NHS surgery, and to do so in a way that is consistent, platform-agnostic and aligned with national guidance on implementing robotic-assisted surgery.

“We have welcomed the support and opportunity to work with RCS England through its rigorous accreditation process, and this recognition provides added assurance to trainees, trainers and participating centres that START will deliver the highest standards of surgical education as this field continues to evolve at pace.

“We look forward to rolling the programme out across further regions later this year using our experience, expertise and capability as a group to drive programmes that can be spread nationally to strengthen the NHS and improve health and care”