Health bosses have agreed to invest in a new system that will bring robotic surgery to Watford General Hospital for the first time.

The hi-tech system will allow trained surgeons to operate using a joystick on a console – rather than manually manoeuvring tools at the patient’s side.

And as well as being comfortable for surgeons, medics say it will benefit patients too – reducing blood loss, pain and the length of their hospital stay.

The decision to invest in two ‘Versius’ robotic systems was made by a meeting of the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust board on March 3.

At that meeting, it was reported to board members in the past robotic surgery has had to be restricted due to cost, theatre size and the need to reinforce the ceilings of operating theatres to accommodate the fixed robotic arms.

But it was reported that newer fully transportable systems – more compact in size – no longer required any work to hospitals.

The stand-alone devices enable up to 700 robotic procedures a year in areas such as colectoral surgery, gynaecology, urology and upper GI.

One system would have cost around £1.4 million over seven years - the trust has declined to say how much it will be paying for two.

Consultant colectoral surgeon Vanash Patel said he was "ecstatic" about the investment suggesting the trust is set to become "one of the UK’s leading robotic centres".

He also indicated robotic surgery is becoming a "necessity" in order to maintain services and attract staff – as well as pointing to the better outcomes for patients.

With 720-degree articulation, he says the system can be rotated round and round – so that it can reach areas that couldn’t otherwise be reached

And that accuracy, he says, means less trauma to the tissue and less pain and – with that – earlier discharge.

Along with the purchase of the robotic systems, there will be extensive training for the surgeons and theatre teams.