BACKGROUND Traditional laboratory-based skills training provides mass training that does not match clinical experience and is not tailored to individual needs. This compromises the transfer and retention of skills into clinical practice. OBJECTIVE To demonstrate the feasibility of integrating a centralised programme of laboratory-based surgical skills training into a higher surgical training programme and to evaluate its effectiveness and acceptability to trainees. METHODS Laboratory-based skills training was provided at a central site, delivered by consultants and tailored to the trainees' level of clinical experience. Each trainee was expected to attend one session a month for 11 months a year. Evaluation was conducted through attendance records, structured evaluations by participants, independent qualitative questionnaires and web interviews. RESULTS Forty-two specialist surgical trainees in the North West London higher surgical training programme participated in laboratory-based skills sessions delivered by 19 consultants over a period of two years. The average attendance was 70.5% for trainees and 100% for trainers. All sessions were rated by trainees as well-organised and useful with an average score of more than 4 out of 5. Trainees felt that the Skills Programme can complement surgical training by allowing practice under expert supervision in a safe environment. CONCLUSIONS Centralising laboratory-based skills training and integrating it into a clinical programme is feasible and acceptable and represents a paradigm shift in surgical training. Involvement of trainees in designing the content is valuable.