In a new statement, Dr. Jeanette Dickson, president of the U.K. Royal College of Radiologists (RCR), has reiterated her deep concern that workforce shortages pose a threat to patient care and safety.
She noted that the workforce gap has been compounded by increases in less than full-time working arrangements as well as retirements and rising demand for complex technology.
"The rising stress levels among staff, compounded by ongoing COVID sickness (it REALLY hasn’t gone away), has fuelled a feeling of being unable to cope, further increasing sickness absence," Dickson wrote.
"How far can we go? How many of us will fall at the altar of being valued? Of being respected for the expertise we have? Of being asked to go ‘one step further’ once too often? Talking to colleagues around the country this is perhaps a more pressing risk than lack of workforce itself. How do we protect ourselves from our own instincts to help – as, for many of us, this is why we joined the profession," she added.
The full statement is available on the RCR website.
