Glasgow children's hospital gets world's first robot just for kids' surgery

A hospital in Glasgow has become the first in the world to have a surgical robot dedicated exclusively to children.

What happened?

The Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow will use the Versius Plus robot for paediatric (children's) surgery. It was bought with a £1.5m donation from the Coldstones Charitable Trust.

The money went to Hi Scotland, the innovation arm of the Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity, to fund the robotic surgery programme.

The robot gives surgeons greater access during keyhole surgery. It will help with operations for complex cancer, urology, abdominal, thoracic (chest) and gastrointestinal conditions.

Why does it matter?

Doctors at the hospital say the robot offers enhanced precision. They say it can also reduce pain, minimise scarring and get patients back to everyday life more quickly.

Some children elsewhere can already have robotic surgery, but usually through shared systems or in the facilities of larger adult hospitals. Glasgow is believed to be the first dedicated children's hospital in the world to buy and own the system solely for young patients.

Before the purchase, there was an evaluation phase in which surgeons performed more than 30 procedures with the robot.

Michael Jacovides, a consultant paediatric surgeon and clinical lead for the programme, said: "Robotic assisted surgery will increasingly be part of caring for children in the future and I am excited it is already here for the children of Glasgow."

What's next?

The team says it is developing the service to cover more conditions. It also wants to offer it to more children and babies across Scotland.

This follows earlier steps. In 2024, a child in the UK had surgery with the Versius system for the first time, after several operations on adults.

Jacovides said the hospital is working with partners in the UK and abroad so these technologies become more widely used.

Kirsten Watson, chief executive of Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity, called the donation "genuinely pioneering for children's healthcare". She said it helps establish a world-first dedicated paediatric programme built around this technology.