Welcome to the website of the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons of GB and Ireland, incorporating Robotic and Technology Enhanced Surgery (RATES).
The ALSGBI is the UK’s primary laparoscopic surgical association established to promote laparoscopic surgery among surgeons and trainees in the UK. It was founded 29 years ago and has gone from a small group to a large professional Association that boasts members from around the globe.
We are a charitable organisation whose primary role is to support training and education in a broad range of minimal access surgeries among surgeons of all experience levels ranging from junior trainees through to long time established Consultants.
In 2018, we expanded to include a section for Robotic and Technological Enhanced Surgery (RATES), an exponentially expanding modality of minimal access surgery. Links to the latest Robotic Training Courses can be found in the Courses section of the website.
We also incorporate the Association of Laparoscopic Theatre Staff (ALTS) with whom we have a close relationship, housing their Annual Scientific Meeting within our own Annual Meeting. We believe there is something for every laparoscopic surgeon in our Association and Website.
In 2020 we established the ALSGBI Academy to represent the interests of trainee surgeons.
Trainees have the opportunity to present their own and their unit’s work at our Annual Scientific Meeting (as can more senior surgeons!). There are a number of prizes given during the meeting all with a monetary value including the prestigious David Dunn Medal awarded to the best paper at the Annual Scientific Meeting established in memory of one of the founding members of our Association whose drive, enthusiasm and foresight helped establish minimal access surgery in the UK. The medal is presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting.
There are a number of generous awards and bursaries available to trainees and newly appointed Consultants to help them travel abroad to gain experience of international surgery and see expertise that can be brought back to their own practice. Details are within the Trainees section. In the same section details of LapPass® can be found. This is gaining traction among younger trainees as a mark of their laparoscopic ability. It is difficult to pass but allows trainers to quickly gauge a trainee’s ability.
For established Consultants there is much to be gained from our Association. This website houses information about upcoming events and meetings. There is an expanding library of operative videos and excerpts from our Annual Scientific Meeting.
One new feature is a series of webinars from ALSGBI members on hot topics housed by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, primarily aimed at trainees but we all continue to learn! Another is the very successful “Through the Keyhole” Podcast series which has already attracted more than 5,000 downloads. The Association and website are a rich resource for the laparoscopic surgeon. Membership of the ALSGBI opens access to a wide range of benefits and is testified to by our increasing membership numbers. The Laparoscopic and Robotic training courses are very popular.
