Patients to benefit from roboticassisted surgery investment
Following a £2.7million investment, we have started using robotic assisted surgery to support surgeons in delivering care for selected patients after extensive preparation, staff training and safety checks.
The new technology is designed to assist surgeons during certain procedures by allowing greater precision and control. For suitable patients, robotic assisted surgery can offer benefits such as smaller incisions, reduced pain and a quicker recovery compared to traditional surgery.
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Your stories this week
Why UECC Nurse Limce loves nursing p8
Asthma + Lung UK Breathing Space Garden
Work has started to bring the Asthma + Lung UK Breathing Space garden up north to it’s lasting home at BreathingSpace.
Want to learn more about the garden and the inspiration behind the design?
Watch our latest short video about the garden:
‘Calling in’ to meet Switchboard p10
National Smile Month advice from Leiann, Oral Health improvement lead page 11
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Patients to benefit from robotic-assisted surgery investment
Following a £2.7million investment, we’ve started using robotic assisted surgery to support surgeons in delivering care for selected patients, after extensive preparation, staff training and safety checks.
The new technology is designed to assist surgeons during certain procedures by allowing greater precision and control. For suitable patients, robotic‑assisted surgery can offer benefits such as smaller incisions, reduced pain and a quicker recovery compared to traditional surgery.
The robot, which has three main components, two arms and a central control console, has been given a Rotherham nickname. The arms are called Paul and Barry, with the console affectionately called Chuck.
The Trust treated its first patients using the robotic system earlier this month following an extensive period of training and testing. This marked the start of a phased introduction that will expand gradually to additional procedures and specialties once it is clinically safe and appropriate to do so.
Robotic‑assisted surgery does not replace surgeons. All procedures are carried out by highly trained consultant surgeons, supported by specialist theatre teams. The robot responds entirely to the surgeon’s movements and cannot act independently.
The introduction of robotic assisted surgery aligns us with wider NHS ambitions to expand access to modern surgical techniques, helping more patients receive high quality care closer to home.
Patients are only offered robotic assisted surgery where it is clinically suitable. Surgeons continue to discuss all available treatment options with patients to ensure care is tailored to individual needs.
The Trust will continue to closely monitor outcomes as the programme develops, with all procedures subject to ongoing audit and clinical governance review.
Mrs Susan Douglas, Deputy Medical Director, said: “This is a significant step forward for surgical care at Rotherham. Our teams have taken a careful, evidence led approach to introducing this technology, with patient safety at the heart of every decision.
“Robotic assisted surgery will allow us to support our surgeons and improve outcomes for patients where it is clinically appropriate.”
Richard Slater, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon and Robotic Surgery Lead, said: “Robotic assisted surgery gives surgeons another option for performing complex procedures with precision. It will not be the right approach for every patient, but for some it can make a real difference to recovery and overall experience.
“Introducing this technology safely has required extensive training, teamwork and planning across the hospital.”
Eid Mubarak to all!
Eid al-Adha, or the "Festival of Sacrifice," is one of the most significant festivals in the Islamic calendar.
It honours the Prophet Ibrahim’s unwavering faith and devotion, commemorating his willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail - a test of obedience to God that ultimately concluded with divine intervention and the provision of a ram for sacrifice.
The festival also coincides with Hajj, the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca undertaken by millions of Muslims each year and one of the five pillars of Islam.
This year, Eid al-Adha began on Wednesday 26 May 2026. It is a time for prayer, reflection, giving, and gathering with loved ones. We send our best wishes to everyone celebrating. May your celebrations be filled with peace, joy and blessings.
The Chaplaincy Team would like to extend warmest wishes of Eid Mubarak to all colleagues, patients and communities who observed Eid al-Adha this week.
We’ve won two awards at 2026 South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards
There has been a double celebration as colleague Kirsty Wright was named Health and Public Service Apprentice of the Year and we’ve won the Large Employer of the Year award at the 2026 South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards held on Thursday 21 May.
Kirsty, a member of our Children’s Therapy Admin Team at Kimberworth Place, picked up her award for her efforts whilst studying for a Team Leader Level 3 qualification.
The apprenticeship has supported her to make further progress in her career: since starting to study for it, she has earned a new role as Administration Supervisor.
The apprenticeship is the second qualification Kirsty has completed since joining as a Level 2 Business Admininstration apprentice five years ago. Winning the award is something Kirsty 'never thought' would happen. "To win the Health and Public Service Apprentice of the Year Award has just blown my mind.
"I never thought I would be recognised in this way for what I have done since starting to work here and what I've achieved on this course. The recognition has been immense and very heart-warming to receive. It's something that I won’t forget."
Graham Travis, our People Experience and Development Manager for Apprenticeships and T-Levels, commented: "Kirsty's win recognises her outstanding dedication, professionalism, and commitment to supporting others. It's taken hard work and a passion for making a positive difference to achieve.
"Her achievement highlights the important contribution apprenticeships make within the Trust and she's an inspiration to future staff looking to pursue similar careers. Many congratulations Kirsty!"
As well as collecting her own individual award, Kirsty also collected our award for Large Employer of the Year. Competition was fierce in the category with one competitor being highly commended by the judges.
On our win, Graham added: "We're delighted to win Large Employer of the Year. This was a challenging category up against other Trusts and large private organisations within South Yorkshire. Our nomination got a special mention for being well written with great data to back it up."
Happy retirement to Dr Fiona Hendry
We're saying farewell to Dr Fiona Hendry who retired on Wednesday this week.
Dr Hendry worked for our Trust and Rotherham Hospice as a Consultant in Palliative Medicine and spent the last 20 years serving Rotherham in this role.
In 2025, Dr Hendry was recognised at our annual Proud Awards as our Individual Excellence Award Winner of the Year for her commitment to patient centred palliative care.
Dr Rod Kersh has paid tribute to Dr Hendry as she retires from her post.
"Fiona has been unwavering in her commitment to supporting patients through some of the most challenging and emotional times in their lives—whether in hospital, within the hospice or in their own homes.
"Her ability to combine clinical excellence with genuine kindness has made a lasting difference to countless individuals and those close to them.
"Fiona has also been a passionate advocate for quality improvement, innovation and education, continually striving to enhance the care we provide.
"As a leader of the Palliative Care Team in Rotherham, she has guided the service with warmth, integrity and quiet determination, leaving a legacy that will continue to influence care for years to come.
"Colleagues across Rotherham — doctors, nurses, therapists and many others — have greatly valued Fiona’s thoughtful, compassionate, and collaborative approach.
"Fiona is not only a respected clinician, but also a trusted colleague and friend to so many. She will be greatly missed by all who had the privilege of working alongside her.
"We send Fiona our heartfelt thanks for everything she has given to our patients, our communities and our teams and wish her every happiness in her retirement."
“A smile from a patient or parent is the greatest reward I could ever receive” - why UECC nurse Limce loves her job
Earlier this month we celebrated International Nurses’ Day, spotlighting some of our wonderful nurses across the Trust.
One colleague who shared their love for nursing was UECC paediatrics charge nurse, Limce James.
Today we hear more about Limce’s story, exploring her nursing education in India, challenges she had to overcome during her training, accent difficulties and why she loves what she does.
“From a small town in South India to North India with a three day train journey carrying dreams in my heart, my nursing journey has been filled with sacrifices, struggles, learning, and countless blessings.
“My nursing college in North India was strict and disciplined, but one of the greatest foundations of my life. It shaped me not only into a nurse, but into a stronger human being. After completing my BSc Nursing and working in India, marriage took me to Dubai, where another challenging chapter began. I faced licensing exams, finding a job, adapting to a new country and new culture. But passion always kept me moving forward.
“Most of my career has been with children, and caring for them has given me immense happiness and satisfaction. Hospitalisation is never easy for patients or their families, so I always try to put myself in their shoes, support them like my own family, and try to make even a small difference in their difficult moments. A smile from a patient or parent is the greatest reward I could ever receive.”
After the Covid-19 pandemic, Limce moved to the UK alone to start her role in UECC at the Trust. In a challenging adaptation period for Limce, her new colleagues rallied round to support her.
“Coming to the UK was another dream that demanded courage. Adapting to Yorkshire accents, culture, beliefs, and a completely different environment was difficult initially. But my nursing journey across different countries had already trained me to be adaptable, resilient, and respectful towards different cultures and beliefs.
“I was blessed with supportive HR teams, managers, educators, and colleagues who guided me, corrected me, encouraged me, and made me feel welcome. They even helped me connect with other nurses from India and arranged everything I needed before arriving here. I will always remain grateful for that kindness and support.
“Being a nurse is not always easy. We miss family occasions, work long hours, adapt constantly, and carry emotional burdens silently. Sometimes we forget about ourselves — being hungry but feeding patients first, feeling overwhelmed but continuing to support patients and their families with compassion and strength.
“I truly believe that helping someone who is sick, vulnerable, or in need is a greater service than any salary we receive.
“Nurses are truly angels without wings. We are advocates for our patients, carers for families, teachers for those who need guidance, counsellors during difficult moments, and a source of comfort and hope for many people in their hardest times.”
Free stop smoking support for colleagues
World No Tobacco Day on Sunday 31 May is a reminder that free, confidential support is available for colleagues across the trust who want to stop smoking.
Colleagues can self-refer directly by phone or email. Support is independent of manager contact and is kept between the Tobacco Treatment Team and the colleague.
Support includes free nicotine replacement therapy, specialist advice and behavioural support. Free vaping devices and up to eight weeks of e-liquid are also available, subject to availability, and can be used on their own or alongside nicotine replacement therapy.
Once you get in touch, an appointment will be arranged to suit your availability. The team will talk through the options with you, agree a plan and review it as needed.
Stopping smoking brings health benefits from the start. Within 20 minutes, pulse rate and blood pressure begin to return to normal. Over time, breathing, circulation and energy levels can improve, and after one year the risk of heart disease is around half that of someone who still smokes.
‘Calling in’ to meet Switchboard
Tucked away behind a door in the main entrance of Rotherham Hospital, Switchboard is a team of 16 colleagues working on rotating 12 hour shifts.
Their manager, Louise Perry, joined the team just under four years ago and shared more about the team who "everyone thinks knows everything".
"I think Switchboard is known as the team everybody thinks knows everything! If someone isn't sure, they think "call switchboard, they'll know!". To be honest, we don't know everything but if we can help, we do help.
"We joke that we're Google Maps and 118 all rolled into one! We're a bit of a first point of call for a lot of things. People call us with all sortscompliments, complaints, if they are looking for something, somewhere or someone.
"We do feel like we are the heart of the hospital even though a lot of people might not recognise us if we were out and about."
The day to day work of Switchboard involves more than you might expect as Louise explained: "A lot of people might think we just come in, answer phones and go home, but there is more to it than that.
"For example on night shifts, we put together rotas. If a fire alarm goes off, it's our job to see where it's alarming and to make sure everyone who needs to know about it and act is informed. We book transport such as taxis when site matrons have authorised them.
"We support lockdown and major incidents as well as the training for them. We put out emergency calls out like cardiac arrests or trauma calls. And we're also involved with contacting gold and silver commands too."
Louise and her team say four qualities are key to working in this team of hidden heroes: "Empathy, patience, calm - and don't panic! The first time you answer a call is scary because you worry about getting it wrong. But once you've done it once, you soon get used to it!"
Library annual survey has opened
The Library and Knowledge Service’s annual library survey is now live and they would love to know what you think of their service.
Completing the survey is your chance to shape the future of the service - from literature searches and information skills training to journals, book loans and everything in between.
Daniel Park said: “Last year, your feedback made a real difference. You told us how we could make the library more welcoming and accessible, and we listened. As a result, we installed more plug sockets and added laptop risers to help make your study time easier and more comfortable.
Marking National Smile Month
National Smile Month is a chance to share simple oral health advice with families and support children’s health through prevention.
Last week, Leiann Musgrave, Oral Health Improvement Lead (below right) and colleagues from Rotherham Children’s Public Health Nursing Service held a stand at the hospital entrance to share key prevention messages with their colleagues.
Leiann said: “Prevention is a key part of improving oral health. By sharing simple advice early, we can help families build healthy habits and reduce the risk of tooth decay.”
“Now we’re ready for the next stepsand we need your ideas!”
Complete the Library and Knowledge Service’s annual library survey
The survey is open until Friday 29 June.
Simple messages like these below can shared in conversations or appointments can help families build healthy habits and find support.
Key messages you can help reinforce: Limit sugary foods and drinks, especially between meals and before bed.
Build healthy routines from infancy. Brush teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, including last thing at night.
If a family needs more support, direct them to NHS oral health advice online.
For more advice, email: leiann.musgrave@nhs.net
Datesforyourdiary
World No Tobacco Day
Sunday 31 May
Dietitians Week
Monday 1 June - Friday 5 June
Volunteers Week
Monday 1 June - Sunday 7 June
Team Brief
Friday 12 June
Proud Awards
Friday 19 June
You can find more upcoming events like these on the Hub’s events calendar
You can find more upcoming events like these on the Hub’s events calendar
