A specialist surgical team at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital (GJNH) has been awarded the prestigious William Cullen Prize by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (“the College”). The award recognises the work of the “Thoracic Robot Team”, who specialise in the surgical treatment of chest diseases.
The team, led by surgeon Mr Alan Kirk, has led the way in Thoracic surgical innovation, by providing high quality care using a specialist DaVinci robot. This is the first robot in the UK which specialises only in Thoracic surgery.
In developing this innovative service, first class clinical and medical education has been provided where relevant to staff. This includes a structured virtual reality simulation package for the operating surgeons and theatre staff, and clinical observation visits with other specialist teams.
A spokesman for the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh said:
“The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh has Fellows and Members all over the world, but this prize particularly recognises local or regional research excellence. The “Thoracic Robot Team” deserve the Cullen Prize for their UK leading surgical treatments with use of a DaVinci robot. I have no doubt that the team’s work has been important in innovating how thoracic surgery is delivered – they’re a tremendous asset to the Golden Jubilee National Hospital and its patients.”
Mr Alan Kirk, Consultant Thoracic Surgeon at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, said:
“Receiving the William Cullen Prize from the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and the Golden Jubilee Foundation is a wonderful recognition of the Thoracic Robot Team’s achievements to date and our plans for the future.
“I am extremely proud of every member of the team who have worked tirelessly to introduce this new service. I’m delighted to say that patients from across Scotland are already benefitting from better outcomes overall as they have less pain, reduced risks of blood clots, shorter hospital stays and an earlier return to normal activity.”
