A recruitment freeze in NHS cancer and scanning departments is putting patients at risk of harm, the Royal College of Radiologists has warned.
The College said NHS trusts are not filling posts in a bid to save money, but this is undermining efforts to reduce waiting times and detect cancer early.
Others have been frozen by national NHS bodies, preventing them from recruiting new trainees, consultants or other specialist doctors, the RCR said.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer set out plans to reduce the NHS waiting list and improve the availability of scans such as MRIs, colonoscopies and bone scans.
However, the RCR said preliminary data from its workforce census, which will be published in full in June, shows that more than a fifth of NHS trusts in England and across the UK have frozen recruitment. .
Some 24 per cent of cancer center service heads said there was a freeze on hiring consultants at their NHS trust, while 19 per cent of radiology department clinical directors said the same.
The RCR said the UK is already facing a serious shortage of specialists, with 1,962 consultant radiologists and 185 clinical oncologists fewer than needed.
These shortfalls are the “main factor” behind the “persistent failure” to meet cancer waiting time targets and delays in reporting scan results, it said.
Recruitment freeze in NHS cancer and scanning departments is putting patients at risk of harm, Royal College of Radiologists warned (file image)
Prompt diagnosis is especially important for cancer, and research suggests that a month’s delay in starting treatment increases the risk of death by 10 percent.
According to the RCR, while the NHS aims for every scan to be reported within a month, in the first half of 2024 alone, more than 420,000 scans took more than a month to be reported.
Staff shortages are also leading to higher costs for the NHS, meaning demand must be managed through locums and outsourcing to private companies, he said.
The RCR estimates the national subcontracting bill at £276 million, which could pay the salaries of 2,690 consultants.
Dr Katharine Halliday, chair of the RCR, said: “The recruitment freeze is a false economy and it is patients who will pay the price.”
‘We are facing severe labor shortages and growing demand, so all these freezes will do is force departments to spend more on expensive alternatives.
“We urge the Government to ensure our cancer and diagnostic services can recruit the staff they need.”
The College also warned that newly trained consultants could have difficulty finding employment.
The College said NHS trusts are not filling posts in a bid to save money, but this is undermining efforts to reduce waiting times and detect cancer early (file image)
In 2024, funded vacancies for consultant radiologists decreased from 518 to just 152. In 2023, there were 84 funded vacancies for consultant clinical oncologists, but this fell to 59 in 2024.
This means that newly trained radiologists and oncologists without a consultant role are forced to apply for locum jobs, move abroad or leave the NHS altogether.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We know trusts are under pressure, which is why we announced a £26 billion investment in the health service in the Budget to help build a fit-for-care health service. the future, with staff needing patients to be seen on time.
‘This summer we will publish a revamped workforce plan to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. We will engage with a variety of stakeholders to reflect their needs.
“Our National Cancer Plan will also highlight how we plan to tackle delays, diagnose cancer earlier and treat it faster so that more patients survive.”
The RCR survey is based on a response rate of 94 percent from radiology directors and 92 percent from cancer center service chiefs.
Analysis suggests that the East Midlands and the east of England are particularly affected, with 40 per cent and 27 per cent of trusts in these regions experiencing recruitment freezes.
These areas were already facing a radiology workforce shortfall of 36 per cent and 33 per cent in 2023, the RCR said.