Nearly one million patients in England waited over a month for their scan results in 2024, marking a 28% increase from the previous year, according to data published by the Royal College of Radiology.
This surge occurred despite NHS spending on private teleradiology services reaching £216 million, a 24% rise from 2023 and more than double the pre-pandemic levels.
The RCR highlighted that 95% of UK radiology departments now outsource some of their workload, primarily due to a national shortfall of 30% in clinical radiologists. While outsourcing offers short-term relief, the RCR warns that it’s a financially unsustainable approach that fails to address the root causes of the delays.
Full story in The Lowdown, 28 May 2025
