Laparoscopic Skills Certification
LapPass®
A nationally recognised badge of laparoscopic proficiency. Five technical tasks, validated assessors, accelerated operative training.
About LapPass
Launched at the 2015 ALRSGBI ASM in Southport in the Arthrex Mobile Training Lab
Laparoscopic surgery is technically demanding and the skills required for proficiency are difficult to acquire. It is not for everyone. However, perhaps more than for any other branch of surgery, simulator training lends itself for practising and perfecting laparoscopic technical skills.
From Autumn 2015 the ALRSGBI has formally recognised those trainees who can demonstrate proficiency in a defined set of 5 laparoscopic tasks. The skills are not easy to perfect; possession of LapPass® is a badge of proficiency recognised nationwide and marks out those who are serious laparoscopic surgeons.
In turn, trainers will recognise that those in possession of the LapPass® will be suitable for accelerated operative training. The 5 skills include camera holding (assessed intra-operatively) and 4 technical skill tasks demonstrated and assessed in training jigs.
The LapPass® group are working to roll the programme out internationally – setting up courses across the country and worldwide, ensuring it remains accessible, standardised, affordable and consistent.
Leadership
LapPass continues under the leadership of Grace Bennett (Lead), and Eloise Dexter (Deputy Lead). Together, the team is working to expand opportunities for trainees to engage with structured laparoscopic skills training across the UK and internationally.
Recent Achievements
ALRSGBI Conference
Successful delivery of LapPass at this year’s national meeting, with high trainee engagement and excellent feedback.
International Delivery in Malta
Expansion of the programme to Malta, supporting trainees overseas and strengthening ALRSGBI’s international educational footprint.
Medical School Conference in Manchester
Showcasing LapPass to medical students to encourage early skills development and inspire future surgical careers.
Current Objectives
Improving National Access
Increasing the number of LapPass delivery points across UK training regions to make assessment and practice more accessible. Regional representatives will all be running LapPass in their deaneries.
Standardising Assessment
Continuing to refine and strengthen assessment consistency to ensure fairness and reliability across all LapPass events. A clear objective assessment tool has been produced and signed off by Council.
Resource Development
Expanding online guidance, video demonstrations, and preparation materials to support trainees at all stages.
Faculty Expansion
Growing the pool of trained LapPass assessors to support rising demand at conferences, teaching days, and regional events. The team will be focusing on Academy members becoming LapPass accredited and becoming assessors.
Early Engagement
Increasing outreach to medical students and foundation doctors to encourage early interest in laparoscopic skills.
Featured
Hear from the trainees who passed.
Regional Training
Training courses across 12 regions.
Midlands
PastMr Jawad Ahmad · Organiser
Wed 18 February 2026 Prince William Education Centre, Kettering General Hospital
£100 members · £150 non-members
Flyer & registration →Northern & Yorkshire
PastMr Ahmed Elshaer · Organiser
25 February 2026 Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, East Yorkshire
£70 members · £120 non-members
Details & booking →South and West
● UpcomingMr Vimaladhithan Mahendran · Organiser
27 & 28 August 2026
Redwood Education Centre, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
£150 members · £200 non-members
Flyer & registration →North West & Mersey
PastMr Rikesh Patel · Organiser
Last held 21 November 2025
Royal Liverpool University Hospital Education Centre
Scotland
PastMs Shafaque Shaikh · Organiser
Last held 26 June 2025
Suttie Centre, University of Aberdeen Medical School
Wales
PastMr Graham Whiteley · Organiser
Last held 20 December 2023
Wrexham Maelor Hospital
Anglian
PastMr Subash Vasudevan · Organiser
Last held 17 May 2023
West Suffolk Hospital · FREE for ALSGBI members
Ireland
PastMr Andrew McCanny · Organiser
Last held 3 June 2022
RCSI, 26 York Street, Dublin
Oxford & Wessex
PastMr Stuart Mercer · Organiser
Last held 9 March 2022
Karl Storz Endoscopy (UK), Slough
North Thames
Contact organiserProfessor Bijen Patel · Organiser
Next course to be announced.
South Thames
Contact organiser
Mr Krishna Singh · Organiser
Next course to be announced.
Trent
Contact organiserMr Imran Bhatti · Organiser
Next course to be announced.
Assessors & Assessment
Official panel of validated assessors.
We hope you will enjoy acquiring the LapPass®. The tasks set are challenging but the skills required are very much clinically relevant and for most people not intuitive. They will require practice, probably over many hours at home or in the lab. They do not intend in any way to avoid the need for courses but much like the Driving Test: lessons will help speedy acquisition of the required proficiency and promote good habits but on the day you still have to pass the Test itself with or without formal lessons.
We expect to run assessments at the Annual Scientific Meeting each year and in addition there are the regional training days as above. Please watch the website and newsletter for further information. The tasks are designed to be able to be conducted on low fidelity jigs and we would encourage practice in this way.
UK Assessors · 47
- Mr Ahmed Abdulmanan
- Mr Marco Adamo
- Mr Jawad Ahmad
- Professor Tan Arulampalam
- Mr Altaf Awan
- Mrs Grace Bennett
- Mr Imran Bhatti
- Mr Hamzah Choudhry
- Mr Nick Davies
- Mr Andrew Day
- Mr Simon Dexter
- Mr Steven Dixon
- Professor Nader Francis
- Mr Aniq Gajdhar
- Mr Ewen Griffiths
- Mr Simon Higgs
- Mr Petre Ichim
- Mr Neil Keeling
- Mr Jim Khan
- Mr Satish Kolli
- Mr Javed Latif
- Mr Paul Leeder
- Mr Juin Low
- Mr Graham Macaulay
- Mr David Mahon
- Mr Mayank Mathur
- Mr Stuart Mercer
- Miss Tamsin Morrison
- Mr Sreedutt Murali
- Mr Ahmad Nassar
- Mr Colm O’Boyle
- Mr James Olivier
- Miss Anna Palepa
- Professor Bijen Patel
- Mr Rikesh Patel
- Mr Mark Portelli
- Miss Jo Reed
- Mr Manel Riera-Portell
- Professor Tim Rockall
- Mr Peter Sedman
- Professor Chelliah Selvasekar
- Ms Shafaque Shaikh
- Mr Mark Vipond
- Professor YKS Viswanath
- Mr Martin Wadley
- Mr Graham Whiteley
- Mr Alex Wilkins
Malta Assessors · 5
- Ms Rachel Abela
- Mr Predrag Andrejevic
- Mr Luke Borg
- Ms Kim Pace
- Mr Mark Portelli
- Ms Josephine Psila
- Ms Jessica Schembri Higgans
Forms & Documents
Assessment forms.
Completed forms should be emailed to Jenny Treglohan at jtreglohan@alrsgbi.org. Any scope may be used.
Archive · 2019 Surveys
Trainee & trainer surveys.
Official Training Kits
Inovus Medical - official LapPass® kit supplier.
Partnership
Designed for the LapPass® curriculum.
The newly designed kits from Inovus have been developed to meet the key requirements of the LapPass® curriculum, adding improved realism and standardisation to the fully validated laparoscopic skills curriculum.
Includes: hoops, pegs, 20 cm of blue thread, foam block, Penrose drains, suturing skins and cutting skins — all the kit you need to practise the 5 key tasks.
The Tasks
Five validated laparoscopic skills.
01
Task 01
Basic grasping & manipulation of polo mints
Equipment
- 3 posts
- 3 polo mints
- 1 piece of string/cord, 15 cm
- 2 Johannes forceps
Task
Transfer 3 polo mints from post to post – base to post 1 (left hand only); post 1 to 2 (right hand, upside-down); post 2 to 3 (mid-air hand-to-hand transfer); post 3 to finish (mid-air over the cord without touching the floor).
Essential Elements
- Grasping & manipulation
- Spatial awareness
- Pronation and supination
- Tactile feedback from graspers
- Smooth performance
02
Task 02
Tying extracorporeal Roeder knots - appendicectomy simulation
Equipment
- Partially inflated glove with 4 lines at 1 cm intervals along one digit
- Long length of braided suture material
- Johannes or knot pusher
- Laparoscopic scissors
Task
Create and place three Roeder knots – 2 proximally in zone 1, one distally in zone 3, then divide in zone 2. The glove must not deflate.
Essential Elements
- Demonstration of accurate & effective Roeder knot
- Precision placement of endoloop
- Precision cutting
03
Task 03
Cutting a shape
Equipment
- Solid circular line on glove or chamois leather
- Inner & outer parallel dotted lines, 0.5 cm apart
- Circle diameter at least 5 cm
- Laparoscopic scissors and graspers
Task
Precisely cut a circular shape without deviation from the line on excision and without damaging the underlying tissue.
Essential Elements
- Precision cutting
- Grasping & manipulation
- Placing tissue under tension
04
Task 04
Suturing
Equipment
- Flexible pad with two pairs of dots
- Braided suture
- Needle driver
- Johannes / second needle holder
- Laparoscopic scissors
Task
Place two accurate sutures and tie them securely to draw tissue under tension. The two target spots must be touching (outer dotted lines) on completion.
Essential Elements
- Loading of needle drivers
- Accurate suturing
- Precise & secure knot tying with appropriate tension
Skill 5
Camera holding skills
Minimum 6 cases, each at least 30 minutes long.
Sole camera holder. Forewarn the operator that this is an assessable task.
At least 3 cases using a 30° laparoscope.