Shelford Surgical Training in Advanced Robotic Technology (START) Programme 

Accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the Shelford START programme provides the opportunity for surgical trainees to develop their skills, knowledge and expertise in robotic assisted surgery, across multiple platforms, at an earlier stage in their career. 

 

Building skills progressively over 3-4 years (ST5-ST7/8), the programme is currently available in the North East, North West, South East and East of England, with plans for expansion to additional regions and specialties in future years. To read more about the programme, including time commitments and course content please view the START brochure here.

 

For more information contact Eleanor Carter, START Pilot Programme Director, at info@shelfordgroup.org  

 

About the Shelford START programme

As stated in the 10 Year Health Plan for England and the National Cancer Plan for England the NHS is committed to the adoption of robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) as standard for an expanded range of procedures, over the next 10 years.

To support this ambition, the Shelford Group partnered with the Newcastle Surgical Training Centre to develop the Shelford START programme. The START programme provides the opportunity for surgical trainees to develop their skills, knowledge and expertise in RAS, at an earlier stage in their career across Intuitive’s da Vinci, CMR Surgical’s Versius and Medtronic’s Hugo™ RAS surgical systems.

The programme meets the recommendations of the national guidance on implementation of robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) in England and is accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. This accreditation helps us to ensure that the programme provides trainees with the highest standards of surgical training and education in this dynamic and fast developing area of healthcare.

Where is the Shelford START programme available?  

Formally launched at the Cambridge Surgical Training Centre in December 2025, the programme is currently available in the North East, North West, South East and East of England. Taking place over three to four years across four different phases, the programme reflects the complex and evolving skill set required for performance of safe and effective robotic surgery, providing sustained progressive development. Over 50 surgical trainees registered for the programme pilot with plans for expansion to additional regions and specialties in future years.  

What are the unique features of the Shelford START programme? 

  • Platform-agnostic training: Experience multiple robotic systems. 
  • National collaboration: Shelford Group, Royal College of Surgeons England, Association of Surgeons in Training.
  • Quality assurance: Programme accredited by Royal College of Surgeons of England and monitored by their Quality Assurance department.
  • Continuous improvement: Feedback-driven updates and benchmarking. 
  • Skills tracker: Access to a personal online dashboard for programme tracking, supervisor feedback and milestone badges. 

      Qualifications for trainees 

      The programme meets the recommendations of the national guidance on implementation of robotic assisted surgery (RAS) in England and is accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England). This accreditation helps us to ensure that the programme provides trainees with the highest standards of surgical training and education in this dynamic and fast developing area of healthcare.

      On completion, trainees will be able to: 

      • Demonstrate proficiency in robotic and minimally invasive surgical skills across multiple leading platforms. 
      • Apply advanced intraoperative judgment and ergonomic principles in robotic-assisted surgery (RAS). 
      • Exhibit competence in simulation-based and hands-on surgical tasks, including port placement, docking, suturing, and energy dissection. 
      • Progress through a structured, multi-phase curriculum designed to enable safe integration into clinical service. 
      • Achieve a START programme completion certificate, supporting career progression. 

       

       

      “Training in Robotic Surgery can no longer be the preserve of Fellowship programs alone. Robot-assisted surgery is rapidly establishing itself as an essential component of routine surgical practice, and it is crucial that all our future surgeons have equitable access to this very necessary part of the surgical curriculum. The Shelford Surgical Training in Advanced Robotic Technology (START) programme is an excellent example of collaborative innovation, supporting the development of a surgical workforce that is confident, capable and ready to embrace the opportunities of robotic assisted surgery to deliver the improved patient outcomes we all strive for.”

      Mr Tim Lane

      President, Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCSE)

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