Press releases

21 Oct 2026 Responding to the launch of a government consultation on new restrictions on high-risk cosmetic procedures, Keith Allison, cosmetic surgery co-lead at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: “This consultation is long overdue. For too long, patients have been exposed to unnecessary risk in a fast-growing cosmetic procedures market where too many unscrupulous practitioners have been free to practise with little oversight."

15 Oct 2026 Commenting on the latest Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC) data for 2025/26, Professor Frank Smith, Vice President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), said: “Seeing a nearly 9% increase, resulting in a £17.3 billion NHS maintenance backlog, is a stark reminder of the deteriorating state of parts of the NHS estate and the growing challenge of keeping ageing buildings safe and fit for purpose."

08 Oct 2026 The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) has welcomed new findings from the National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA), published today by the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre (NATCAN), which shows a continuing rise in the numbers of men being diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in England and Wales.

08 Oct 2026 New figures from the National Bowel Cancer Audit (NBOCA), published today by the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre (NATCAN), show that the two-year survival following major bowel cancer surgery has improved in recent years, yet significant differences remain in how people are diagnosed and treated in England and Wales.

08 Oct 2026 Ahead of the Budget, surgeons are calling on the government to set out how it will provide the NHS with what is needed to deliver on its manifesto commitment to reduce waiting times.

08 Oct 2026 Responding to the new analysis, Mr Tim Lane, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), said: “This analysis serves as a warning that the government’s progress on NHS waiting times is drifting off course. At the current pace of improvement, no region is on track to restore the 18-week standard by 2029.

24 Sep 2026 New figures published today have revealed that tooth decay continues to overtake other common childhood conditions, including acute tonsillitis, as the leading cause of hospital admissions among 5- to 9-year-olds in England, as four in ten children did not see an NHS dentist last year.

22 Sep 2026 Responding to the Health Foundation findings on NHS productivity, RCS England President: "The Health Foundation's findings echo what surgeons across the NHS have been telling us for years."

17 Sep 2026 The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) today launches SUPPORT2, the next phase of its surgeon peer-support improvement programme. Twenty-one site teams across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland are taking part, including 16 new sites and five returning from SUPPORT1. The launch follows new research highlighting a significant gap in support for surgeons following adverse events.

11 Sep 2026 Results from six national cancer audits in England and Wales have been published by the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre (NATCAN). They demonstrate that variations in the quality of cancer care persist in the NHS.