Can You Help Name Ealing Hospital's New Robot?

Competition launched ahead of high-tech surgery rollout

The Ealing surgery team with its as yet unnamed new robot

April 16, 2026

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust has launched a public competition to name two state-of-the-art surgical robots set to begin operating next week.

The new machines, arriving at Ealing Hospital and Northwick Park Hospital, mark a significant step forward in the trust’s use of advanced medical technology. By 2027, the pair are expected to carry out around 700 procedures a year between them, helping to transform patient care across a range of specialties.

Chief executive Pippa Nightingale said the naming competition was designed to bring the community closer to the innovation taking place behind the scenes.

“We’re looking for some fun ideas and would really like our staff and the local community to get involved,” she said. “We encourage all our staff to wear ‘My name is…’ badges to present a friendlier public face, and that applies to our two newest employees.”

Despite the futuristic label, surgical robots do not operate independently. Instead, they are controlled entirely by highly trained surgeons, who use a console to guide robotic arms equipped with miniature instruments and high-definition cameras.

These systems—commonly based on platforms such as the widely used da Vinci Surgical System—allow for far greater precision than the human hand alone. The robotic arms can filter out natural tremor, scale down movements, and rotate instruments with a range of motion beyond that of a wrist.

For patients, the benefits can be significant. Robot-assisted surgery is typically minimally invasive, using small incisions rather than large openings. This often leads to reduced blood loss, lower risk of infection, shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery times. Procedures commonly include urological, colorectal, gynaecological and some orthopaedic operations.

Consultants at the trust say the technology will also improve consistency in complex procedures and help expand capacity, as surgeons become able to perform intricate operations more efficiently.

Robotic surgery is becoming increasingly common across the NHS, with hospitals investing in the technology to meet rising demand and improve outcomes. While the upfront costs are high, trusts argue that shorter hospital stays and fewer complications can deliver long-term savings.

At Ealing and Northwick Park, the introduction of the robots is part of a broader push to modernise surgical services and attract top clinical talent.

To mark their arrival, the trust is hoping the public can come up with names that strike the right balance between creativity and professionalism. Entries should include a suggested name for each robot and specify the relevant hospital.

Send your suggestions to lnwh-tr.communications@nhs.net and write ‘robot naming competition’ in the headline along with a name for each robot and the relevant hospital. The deadline for entries is 14 May.

The organisers will be hoping for a smoother outcome than the famously chaotic naming contest for the UK’s polar research vessel RRS Sir David Attenborough, when the public overwhelmingly backed “Boaty McBoatface”—a name ultimately reassigned to a submersible following the Boaty McBoatface naming controversy.

“We’re expecting plenty of imagination,” a spokesperson said, “but hopefully something we can actually put on a name badge.”