Staff shortages delaying diagnosis and cancer care
The Royal College of Radiologists reports that severe staff shortages in the UK are causing significant delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Data shows that a majority of radiology and oncology leaders believe these shortages are actively worsening patient outcomes.
Why it matters
Workforce crises in healthcare directly correlate to increased mortality rates and reduced quality of care for critical patients.
The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) has warned that the worsening shortage of radiologists and cancer doctors means delays to diagnosis and treatment. The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) is warning that without urgent action to bolster its ailing workforce, more patients across the UK will continue to suffer with delays to their diagnosis and care.
Its 2025 workforce data paints a worrying picture of ongoing staff shortages across the radiology and oncology workforce. These include the fact that 80% of radiology leaders and 50% of cancer leaders say staff shortages are causing patients’ conditions to worsen. This is the first time so many have felt this way.
Severe shortages of doctors in these sectors are driving delays to diagnosis and treatment of both cancer and other serious conditions, with workforce shortages particularly stark in deprived and rural areas.
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