The Royal College of Radiologists has released its annual radiology census data, and the data confirms that the radiology workforce crisis is not going anywhere. Although the workforce grew by over 6% in the last year, in the same timeframe the rate of CT and MRI scans went up by 11%. This shortfall shows exactly why radiology departments are struggling to keep up with demand – there are simply too many scans and not enough radiologists.
The RCR census shows that the NHS has a 30% shortfall of clinical radiologists, and this is likely to go up to 40% by 2028. 97% of clinical directors say that the radiologist workforce crisis is causing backlogs and delays at their trust/health board, and 91% of clinical directors said that workforce shortages are impacting patient safety. In 2023, 745,000 patients in England waited over four weeks to receive the result of their imaging test following the scan. As in previous years, this is all having an especially devastating effect on cancer care, where delayed diagnosis can mean that patients miss out on potentially life-saving treatments,
Radiologists across the UK are working under unprecedented stress and strain to try to get patients the best possible care, but the effects of the radiology crisis are really starting to show. The RCR found that 100% of clinical directors are concerned about the impact of workforce shortages on workforce morale and burnout, and the median age for full-time radiology consultants to leave the workforce is now just 45.
It's great to see the RCR calling for more focus on staff wellbeing, including flexible working, better rota planning, and adequate, up-to-date technology. Making staff wellbeing part of CQC assessments is also a good recommendation to make this a priority.
In our discussions with radiology managers, radiologist frustration with out-of-date technology and the growing admin burden come up again and again. As radiology departments struggle to cope with demand, it’s often radiologists who are asked to take on complex admin tasks, leaving less available time for actually reporting scans. Removing barriers like outdated IT systems and laborious paper- or telephone-based processes can free up radiologists to focus on reporting, which is after-all why they became radiologists in the first place.
Dr Nina Breunung-Joshi, Clinical Director Radiology at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, is experiencing the radiology crisis first-hand told us, “Like NHS Trusts all over the country, one of our top priorities is getting patients seen and the results of their scans as quickly as possible and prioritising reports, but workforce shortages and the rising demand for scans is making this increasingly difficult.”
“We’re now working with Hexarad, and their OptiRad technology is working across our whole radiology department to find efficiencies, improve our performance and enable demand and capacity planning, as well as identify any rota gaps in the acute service for short-term cover. We’re looking forward to seeing the results of our partnership with Hexarad as we feel that this technology could be transformative.”
The RCR hopes that this year’s report will be a ‘wake-up call’ to policymakers. Dr Katharine Halliday, president of the RCR, said, “We simply do not have enough doctors to manage the increasing number of patients safely, and this problem will only worsen as demand continues to rise and more doctors leave the NHS. The immense strain on an overburdened system, coupled with exhausted staff and increasing demand, creates a toxic cocktail for our NHS.”
Download the full RCR 2023 clinical radiology workforce census report.