Clinical radiology UK workforce census 2019 report

Workforce shortages in clinical radiology are increasing year-on-year, resulting in delayed diagnoses for patients, and negatively impacting patient care. Costs have escalated, as radiology departments struggle to meet the fast-growing demand for complex imaging, and consultant radiologists are feeling overworked and undervalued. Our key findings have been summarised in this two-page infographic and executive summary. 

Due to our consistent 100% completion rate for the workforce census, these powerful but concerning data can be used by the RCR to lobby government, health education bodies and policy-makers for increased training numbers and improved working practices for clinical radiologists. 

We would like to thank all radiology Clinical Directors for participating in the 2019 census and also the Regional Chairs for supporting data collection.

The UK workforce census report 2019 is supplemented by individual devolved nations workforce census reports providing details of the clinical radiology workforce situation in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and focusing on regional variation and workforce forecasts over the next five years.

For queries or suggestions regarding census data, please email census@rcr.ac.uk

COVID-19

As the report has been finalised and gone to press, the NHS has found itself battling a global pandemic, and pressured services are having to summon further reserves to manage the unprecedented challenge. The RCR workforce census data was returned before the escalation of coronavirus management, and underlines the precarious state of many of our imaging services