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Radiographers have begun a 48-hour strike, with staff at 37 trusts staging walkouts across England until 08:00am on Thursday 27th July.
Radiographers perform vital scans such as X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerised-tomography (CT) scans, ultrasounds and breast screening, as well as radiotherapy for cancer patients.
Currently, one million patients are awaiting scans, with thousands more expected to be postponed or cancelled due to the strikes.
Radiographers want a pay rise of at least 6.5%
The Society of Radiographers is now calling on the government to re-open the NHS 2023-24 pay round following the latest pay offer of 5%. Dean Rogers, executive director of industrial strategy and members relations, says an offer of 6.5% could have led to a total avoidance of strike action.
“The announcement from the government, supporting a 6.5% pay increase for other public-sector workers and increasing the offer to junior doctors, highlights how inadequate and unfair the NHS 5 per cent pay deal is.
“Junior doctors could not do their jobs without the radiography professionals who carry out X-rays, MRI and CT scans, ultrasounds and breast screening, as well as radiotherapy for cancer patients. Radiographers should therefore be offered at least the same pay increase,” he said.
Health leaders particularly concerned about delays to cancer treatment
Mr Taylor warns that radiographers play “a vital part” in diagnosis and treatment of many services, and the strikes will therefore affect thousands of patients, many of whom will have already had appointments postponed.
“Health leaders will be battling with a significant loss of capacity, which will make the work of multidisciplinary teams less deliverable, but some have pre-emptively been trying to do additional radiography work at weekends.
“Despite this, health leaders are particularly worried about delays in cancer treatment but know that this may also slow down urgent and emergency care, with only Christmas Day levels of staffing in place for urgent diagnosis services.
With more strikes to come in August, Mr Taylor warns that many trusts will be unable to meet their recovery targets, and this could have a significant impact on patient outcomes and trust finances.
“What is very clear is that these further strikes need to be averted, what is less clear is how that happens,” he said.
765,000 appointments cancelled or rescheduled due to strikes so far
This latest round of strike action will only add to the number of rescheduled appointments and the ever-growing NHS backlog.
Indeed, yesterday, the NHS published figures from the latest consultant strike (20-21st July), which revealed that 65,557 appointments were cancelled or rescheduled.
This brings the total number of rescheduled appointments and procedures over eight months of industrial action to 765,000.
Mr Taylor says the effect of the consultant strikes on electives will have been “disproportionately higher” due to the impaired ability to plan particularly complex cases.
“The concern coming out of these strikes will be the long-term impact, getting back on track in reducing waiting lists, improving staff morale and improving patient satisfaction.
“But health leaders won’t yet have the headspace to think about the months ahead, having to turn their immediate attention to the impact of the days ahead, as radiographers begin their walkout in parts of England,” he said.