An effort by the National Health Service (NHS) Scotland to recruit radiologist consultants from abroad has failed to improve the ongoing radiologist staffing crisis, and it's now critical that the country invest in training more radiologists, according to an editorial published 28 May in the Herald.
In his editorial, Dr. Grant Baxter, chair of the Standing Scottish Committee of the Royal College of Radiologists, said the national radiology service is starting to crumble due to the increasingly complex workloads, a lack of investment in trainee and consultant doctors, and increasing retirement rates. Despite the best efforts by many people, the NHS Scotland radiologist recruiting drive in February failed, he said.
The Herald also reported in a related article on 28 May that it was understood that the response to the recruiting initiative has been disappointing so far, with approximately 30 to 40 applicants but few suitable candidates.
Baxter noted that there is no quick fix for the situation. At least 25 extra radiology trainees are needed each year -- more than the 10 extra trainees promised by the Scottish government, he said. In the long run, training more radiologists in Scotland will save the country money as the millions currently spent to outsource this work will drop, Baxter added.
While artificial intelligence (AI) technology will help with radiology workloads in the future, more than 100 additional radiologists could have been trained in Scotland by the time hospital-ready AI arrives, he said.
"As a country with a rich history in medicine, it is sad that we seem unable to properly invest in our own talent," Baxter wrote. "We know the Scottish government and health secretary understand the situation -- it is now imperative they be bold and expand on their promises for more trainees. If not, this healthcare crisis will be too late to reverse."
