Imaging exam interpretation delays are the worst they've ever been in the U.K., despite an increase in outsourcing exams to private providers, according to the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR)
"Almost 1 million patients in 2024 waited more than a month for their scan results -- despite NHS spending on outsourcing radiology reporting to private firms reaching an all-time high," the college said. It revealed that 976,000 scans in England overshot the one-month interpretation target last year, representing a 28% increase compared with 2023.
In 2024, trusts and health boards across the U.K. spent £325 million (€386.32 million) on managing excess demand, with £216 million (€256.76 million) going to private teleradiology companies – a rise of 24% in a year and more than double prepandemic levels, the RCR noted.
There is a 30% shortfall of clinical radiologists, and demand for CT and MR imaging grew by 8% last year.
"If current trends continue, we’ll be spending more than £400 million [€475.47 million] a year by 2028 -- enough to cover the salaries of 3,389 full-time consultant radiologists," the RCR said.
The RCR is "calling for funds to be redirected away from short-term fixes and into longer-term solutions, including training new radiologists and investing in technology such as AI tools that will improve productivity in reporting," it urged.
