RCR calls for urgent government intervention on recruitment freezes
Read the RCR's latest correspondence with Minister of State for Health, Karin Smyth MP.
Update: the Minister's reply and our response
In September 2026, 185 RCR members and Fellows signed a letter to the Minister of State for Health, Karin Smyth MP, to raise our concerns about the impact of recruitment freezes in radiology departments and cancer centres amid severe workforce shortages.
Minister Smyth’s response highlighted the welcome creation of new training places, but did not address the specific issues around recruitment freezes.
Today, Wednesday 11th November 2026, we have sent a follow-up letter to Minister Smyth which outlines the impact recruitment freezes are having on services now:
Cancer services are unable to provide treatment for some cancers because they cannot recruit the staff they need
Patients are facing longer waits for scan results, delaying treatment
Soaring outsourcing spend
Training capacity severely limited
We are asking the Minister to write to all NHS trusts in England, directly asking them to end recruitment freezes in radiology departments and cancer services. Read our latest correspondence with the Minister below.
Letter: RCR calls for urgent government intervention on recruitment freezes
On Tuesday 15 September 2026, the RCR has written to Minister of State for Health, Karin Smyth MP, calling for urgent action to address recruitment freezes in cancer centres and radiology departments.
The letter has been signed by 185 RCR members and Fellows, including Training Programme Directors, Heads of Service, Clinical Directors and RCR Resident Forum representatives. The letter highlights:
That recruitment freezes in cancer centres and radiology departments in England have doubled over the last year.
That these recruitment freezes undermine efforts to meet diagnostic waiting time and cancer treatment targets, and negatively impact patient care.
That recruitment freezes are creating real concerns for resident doctors, who worry there will be no substantive posts available for them when they qualify.
That recruitment freezes are also impacting on radiology department and cancer centre ability to take up new training posts, because training capacity is being reduced.
Our letter calls for urgent action from the Minister to intervene in the recruitment freezes Trusts are imposing on cancer centres and radiology departments, and asks her to meet with the RCR to discuss how the patient impact of recruitment freezes can be addressed.