The NHS in the UK plans to ban Robotic Thoracic Surgery

NHS england carries out a series of consultations to guide national policy. Their recommendations are usually completely binding and result in policy change across the whole of the UK. Hospitals are unable to carry out operations for which they withdraw NHS funding. 

The current NHS England evaluation for robotic thoracic surgery concludes : 

Robotic surgery requires expensive equipment, which represents a capital cost as well as the cost of consumables. Currently providers are reimbursed for robotic assisted surgery through the national prices, with a separate additional payment for the cost of the robotic consumables.

NHS England has concluded that there is not sufficient evidence to support a proposal for the routine commissioning of robotic assisted lung resection for primary lung cancer.

It is open for 30 days of evaluation before they make the final decision. Anyone can respond to their document, so please do respond if you want to influence this decision 

Further information can be found here. 

https://www.engage.england.nhs.uk/consultation/clinical-commissioning-wave2