Royal College of Radiologists Sounds Alarm Over Jeopardizing Patient care Due to Planned Cuts to Diagnostic Capacity to Fund NHS Pay Rises

July 22, 2022 — Following the Government’s announcement that pay increases forNHSworkers must come from existing budgets, NHS leaders are being forced to cut investment in the expansion of diagnostic capacity and new technologies, including improved IT infrastructure, two essential areas required to tackle the NHS backlog.

The Government has confirmed it will increase the pay of NHS doctors by 4.5% but had not budgeted for around £1.8 billion of this cost. With no extra money committed to the NHS, it has been determined the burden of this cost will fall on diagnostic services, exacerbating pressure on a thinly stretched workforce, hindering attempts to reduce the COVID-exacerbated backlog, and endangering patient’s lives.

Diagnostic professionals, especially radiologists, are crucial to a functioning health service. Over 80% of hospital pathways involveimagingand its expert interpretation byclinical radiologists, often before treatment can begin. The earlier an illness is spotted, the higher the chance of it being successfully treated.

However, the diagnostic workforce is already facing challenges due to decades of underfunding.The Royal College of Radiologist’s 2021 Workforce Census发现在英国有30%(1453人)的临床放射科顾问。这一短缺导致63%的放射科临床主任表示，没有足够的放射科医生来提供安全有效的病人护理。如果不采取进一步行动应对危机，预计到2026年，这一缺口将增加到39%(2707人)。

Cuts to diagnostic capacity and new technologies will hit patient outcomes hard: without investment at the beginning of the patient pathway, the NHS’s ability to meet patients’ needs, improve patient outcomes and save lives through early diagnosis will be severely hindered.

DrJeanette Dickson, President of theRoyal College of Radiologists, said:

“Demand for diagnostic services increases year on year. The NHS needs a long-term workforce strategy and sustainable funding for a world-leading diagnostic service - not more devastating cuts.

“诊断服务是政府多项策略(例如长期计划)取得成功的关键，这些策略旨在确保病人得到更快的诊断和治疗。”预算削减将对癌症患者的治疗结果以及他们成功治疗的选择产生不利影响。

"There is no doubt that the diversion of funding will have a catastrophic effect on an already stretched and under-staffed radiology workforce, working day in and day out to tackle the extremely high backlog and provide safe patient care.

We need the government and future Prime Minister to prevent service cuts, wake up to the scale of workforce shortages and commit to a sustainable funding and workforce plan, otherwise patients will suffer."

For more information:https://www.rcr.ac.uk/