The British Institute of Radiology (BIR) has released a statement saying that, where appropriate, a seven-day workweek would be in the best interests of patients, but this is dependent on appropriate funding.
The funding would need to support a multidisciplinary team, because reporting, diagnosis, and discharge requires the input of radiologists, radiographers, physicists, and nurses, as well as the support staff and transport infrastructure to support weekend and night working, according to BIR.
The allocated 8 billion pounds (11.18 billion euros) of extra funding, highlighted in the Five Year Forward View, was for maintaining services at the current level. If the U.K. National Health Service (NHS) wants to move to a seven-day workweek model, the BIR calls for funding to address the current shortfall of imaging staff, including radiologists, and to support the multidisciplinary teams required to meet the increased activity.
Also, a structure for replacement of imaging equipment should be in place if the machines are to be used for longer hours, the BIR added.
