Staff shortages are a ‘ticking time bomb’ for cancer patients, doctors warn
Cancer patients are facing dangerous delays to life-saving scans and treatment as the chronic shortage of doctors threatens to derail cancer care across the UK, new data reveals.
Two major reports reveal that the demand for healthcare is growing faster than the workforce, while cancer doctors are leaving the NHS younger than ever before. Unless urgent action is taken, leading radiologists and oncologists warn that patient delays will worsen, with staff pushed to breaking point.
These shortages pose a direct threat to the government’s NHS ambitions: without a sufficient cancer workforce, pledges to reduce waiting lists and improve cancer survival rates simply cannot be delivered.
The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) is urging the government to act now to meet future demand, by training and recruiting more radiologists and oncologists.
The College’s two new reports provide the most authoritative information about the state of cancer diagnosis and care in the UK, based on 100% response-rate surveys of cancer centre heads and clinical directors of radiology departments.
NHS leaders say staff shortages are causing delays and risking patient safety
A patient’s risk of death can increase by 10% for every month cancer treatment is delayed. Despite this strong evidence, in 2024 every radiology leader in the UK reported delayed diagnostic scans due to staff shortages. Worryingly, 9 in 10 cancer centre leaders reported delays to patients starting treatment, and 7 in 10 were concerned about staff shortages putting patient safety at risk.
“Safe delivery of cancer treatment is becoming increasingly impossible.”
Consultant clinical oncologist“Patients are waiting longer than they should ... and we have had several delayed cancer diagnoses as a result.”
Consultant radiologist
Cancer demand is growing faster than the workforce
This tragic situation will sadly worsen as demand for care continues to outpace the rate of workforce growth. Demand for CT and MRI imaging grew by 8%, but the radiology workforce grew by 4.7% in 2024, causing vital diagnostic services to fall further behind.
The future is bleak: without action to increase the workforce, the 29% shortfall of radiologists and 15% shortfall of oncologists will rise to 39% and 19% respectively by 2029.
“We keep recruiting, but demand and scanning activity continues to increase.”
Consultant radiologist“Despite working very hard, we are always trying to catch up.”
Consultant radiologist
Experienced radiologists and oncologists are leaving the NHS younger than ever
The pressures of chronic staff shortages are causing a retention crisis, with the most experienced staff now leaving younger than ever before. In 2024, the median age of consultant clinical radiologists leaving the NHS workforce was 50 (down from 55 in 2020). Alarmingly, two-fifths of leavers were younger than 45. The median age of consultant clinical oncologist leavers was 54 (down from 59 in 2022) with a quarter under 45.
We rely on these doctors to train the next generation. Earlier retirement means a less experienced and less resilient workforce, with long-lasting ripple effects.
“[Workforce shortfalls] have put a massive strain [on us] and [are] eroding goodwill and morale.”
Consultant clinical oncologist“[We have] limited mentorship and training time as a result of limited consultant numbers.”
Consultant radiologist
The cost of staff shortages is spiralling
With staffing unable to keep up, the NHS is spending record amounts on managing excess demand. In 2024, the NHS spent an estimated £325 million on temporary workforce solutions in radiology, with the cost of outsourcing radiology doubling compared to pre-pandemic levels and surging almost a quarter in the past year alone.
This is unsustainable and fails to address the root cause of the issue: a lack of permanent staff.
“Increased outsourcing leads to increased administrative time by consultant workforce to manage fallout, add addendums etc.”
Consultant radiologist
Our call to action: invest in training now to reduce waiting lists
The RCR is calling on the government to invest in long-term solutions that will future-proof cancer services, by training more radiologists and oncologists.
RCR-commissioned economic modelling proves just how much money this would save the NHS over time. A 50% increase in radiology trainees, i.e. 180 more specialty trainees per year, would fill three quarters of the current workforce shortfall and save the NHS £460 million after 10 years, compared to short-term fixes like relying on outsourcing and overtime.
A smaller increase in trainees would nonetheless bring significant benefit to patients. The RCR recommends increasing the number of clinical radiology and clinical oncology specialty training posts in line with demand, to progressively eliminate the workforce shortfall.
Dr Katharine Halliday, President of the Royal College of Radiologists, said:
“Patients are being failed by a chronic lack of radiologists and oncologists. Despite the best efforts of NHS staff, there aren’t enough doctors to ensure prompt, safe and effective care – and the outlook is bleak. We are doing all we can to boost productivity, but there’s a limit to how far we can go. The reality is we simply don’t have enough staff.
Any credible plan to cut waiting lists relies on having the headcount to meet the demand we face today, let alone tomorrow. The longer we delay action, the worse it gets. The government must train up more radiologists and oncologists to defuse this ticking time bomb for cancer diagnosis and treatment.”
Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said:
“Every 12 minutes someone is diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK, making it the fourth most common cancer. The disease is treatable and curable if diagnosed early, but too many patients are facing long delays to start their treatment after going to their GP with symptoms. These delays may lead to the cancer spreading making it harder to treat successfully. To fix this problem we must address the longstanding shortage of staff and equipment to deliver diagnostic and treatment services and meet the growing demand.”
Chiara De Biase, Director of Health Services, Improvement and Equity at Prostate Cancer UK, said:
“No two prostate cancer diagnoses are the same. Radiologists and oncologists are crucial to ensuring men with prostate cancer can receive the best possible treatment and outcomes for their specific disease.
“These latest findings from the Royal College of Radiologists are extremely concerning. Prostate Cancer UK would urge the government to look at the RCR’s recommendations to ensure the workforce required to diagnose and treat the most common cancer in England are in post, trained and supported to execute their roles to best of their abilities.
“For men, if you have any concerns about prostate cancer, take the 30-second Risk Checker on our website. You can call Prostate Cancer UK's Specialist Nurses on 0800 074 8383 from 9am to 5pm on weekdays, or via live webchat.”
Claire Rowney, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said:
“These latest findings highlight the continuing and concerning impact of the workforce crisis on cancer care across the UK.
"The worrying reality right now is that staff shortages continue to deny far too many people with breast cancer a timely diagnosis and quick access to potentially lifesaving treatments that they should be able to count on. Instead, they’re facing long, anxious waits for this care.
“We recognise the intense challenges facing the health service, and the tireless efforts of its hard-working staff. However, this situation has to be addressed and the government’s upcoming national cancer plan for England offers a vital opportunity to bring about this much-needed change. As a first step it must deliver the resources and capacity needed to dramatically cut waiting times and ensure more women get access to vital breast screening that saves lives from breast cancer.
“We’re fully committed to working with the government and the NHS to deliver real, lasting change so that everyone with breast cancer gets the diagnosis, treatment and care that they need.
“Anyone looking for support or information about breast cancer can speak to our expert nurses by calling our free, confidential helpline on 0808 800 6000.”
Responding anonymously to the RCR survey, doctors said:
“We have very little time to develop services and end up firefighting/reacting much of the time. This isn't where we want to be.”
Consultant radiologist“Staff morale is extremely low and it is difficult to get people to take up other roles in the department.”
Consultant radiologist“Workload on existing oncologists is unsustainable without [an] increased workforce.”
Consultant clinical oncologist“A multiple week wait for palliative treatment has sometimes led to deterioration to the point that treatment is no longer possible.”
Consultant clinical oncologist“Our waiting times for breast radiotherapy are now the worst I have ever known in 20 years. Patients are waiting over four weeks to be seen… and then another eight weeks to start radiotherapy.”
Consultant clinical oncologist“We have significant stress amongst staff, and colleagues have taken leave with stress-related health issues.”
Consultant clinical oncologist“We have a high proportion of locum oncologists – mainly NHS, but also [from a] high-cost agency. This leads to a constant juggle of recruitment and service provision, [which] takes up a huge amount of time to manage.”
Consultant clinical oncologist
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Media contact: [email protected] 02038054065
- All statistics, unless otherwise stated, come from the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) reports, published on 5 June 2025:
- The Royal College of Radiologists annual workforce censuses are the most authoritative sources of information about the state of cancer diagnosis and care in the UK, based on 100% response-rate surveys of cancer centre heads and clinical directors of radiology departments. Running since 2008, they identify trends and make evidence-based recommendations.
- The Royal College of Radiologists is the leading professional membership body for clinical radiologists and clinical oncologists.
- Clinical radiologists are experts in interpreting medical images such as MRI and CT scans, and delivering minimally invasive procedures, including treatment for strokes. They are responsible for the majority of diagnoses made in the NHS.
- Clinical oncologists sit at the heart of cancer treatment, planning and overseeing the delivery of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.