The rise in robotic surgery could see caesarean sections performed by healthcare assistants rather than surgeons in five years time, medical leaders have said.

A report by the Royal College of Surgeons predicts that healthcare assistants, who sit below nurses in the clinical pecking order, will be responsible for carrying out key parts of the major procedure undergone by roughly one in four mothers.

Specialist obstetricians and surgeons will remain in charge, although they will not necessarily be present in the operating theatre all the time.

The Future of Surgery report - the product of three years’ research - argues that advances in big data and robotic surgery means machines will be able to standardise an ideal method of performing c-sections that can be easily taught to healthcare assistants.

Such workers already perform tasks such as stitching up wounds in A&E, and they may soon be allowed to perform internal investigations such as endoscopies.

“These are highly skilled professionals who are very capable of taking on some of these techniques,” said Mr Richard Kerr, a neurosurgeon who led the Royal College commission.

He added: "You could have medical surgeons, doctors surgeons, overseeing medical procedures but hands-off."

But the idea has prompted criticism from some patient groups.