New surgical robot arrives at Poole Hospital

UHD has received a state-of-the-art surgical robot at Poole Hospital - the Da Vinci 5 (DV5), becoming the first Trust in the South West to have access to this cutting-edge technology.

The DV5 is one of the most advanced surgical robots available in the world, introducing new Force Feedback technology – the first of its kind. It also features more than 150 design innovations and 10,000x the computing power of the previous model.

UHD now has three surgical robots in total, with two at Poole Hospital and one at RBH.

This is a significant milestone in the advancement of the robotics programme at UHD, which was made possible by securing national funding, as well as generous support from our UHD Charity team.

Benefits of robotic surgery

An additional 300 patients per year will now be able to benefit from robotic surgery. Approximately 70% of our robotic activity will be cancer patients.

Some of the benefits of robotic surgery include:

• Reduced surgery times, therefore reduced waiting times

• Improved recovery times, therefore reduced length of stay

• Improved clinical outcomes for patients, reducing re-admissions

• Improved theatre utilisation through our dedicated robotic hub, with specialist robotic teams

• Improved ergonomics for surgeons, improving working conditions

• Alignment with the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan and national guidance for best practice

Dr James Manners, Consultant Urological Surgeon at University Hospitals Dorset, said: “I am delighted that we have managed to bring the very latest innovations in robotic surgery to University Hospitals Dorset in the form of the DV5 robot.

“The technology in this system is quite staggering. For the first time it will allow us to feel the tension that is being placed in body tissues as we operate on them. This is likely to reduce strain on body tissues and allow patients to recover faster, with less discomfort. In addition, it will allow some of the most complex surgeries, that previously had to be performed using an open surgical approach, to be performed using minimally invasive surgery. This will allow patients to return to normal function faster.

Finally, the new system will allow us to keep and attract the very best surgeons to our hospitals and will allow us to provide well for the surgeons of tomorrow.”

David Kenward, Deputy General Manager – Theatres, UHD, said: “The arrival of the da Vinci 5 marks more than a technological milestone for UHD - it represents our commitment to safer surgery, greater precision, and better outcomes for every patient we serve.

The DV5 will transform the standard of care that we are able to provide at UHD. With faster recovery times and reduced length of stay post-op, we will be able to decrease waiting times and improve patient outcomes.”

Next steps:

Following installation and staff training, the team hopes to start using the new robot by the end of June 2026.

You can find out more about the robot here: Meet the da Vinci 5 robotic surgical system | Intuitive