Add StudioX as a preferred source on GoogleCancer patients in Wales are warning that delays in diagnostic scans could be a matter of life and death as the country faces a shortage of radiologists, according to BBC Health.
The Royal College of Radiologists says NHS Wales has 88 fewer radiologists than it needs, a shortfall of 28%. For the first time, the college reports seeing some patients’ conditions worsening while they wait for scans and tests.
Patients describe living in limbo
Beverly Scott was diagnosed with ovarian and peritoneal cancer 14 years ago and was given five years to live. She took part in medical trials at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. There is no cure, she said, but continual treatment is keeping her cancer stable.
Scott, a member of the Pwllheli and Pen Llŷn cancer support group in Gwynedd, said the radiologist shortage could threaten that stability. Without timely scans, she said, the cancer could spread unnoticed. She said delays could let it spread further, and treatments would then not work.
Another group member, Karen Jones, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. She was later diagnosed with colon cancer, and her breast cancer returned in 2021. She said waiting for results is the worst part and described being in “total limbo”.
North and west Wales hit hardest
Radiologists are doctors who use images to diagnose and manage medical conditions and diseases. The Royal College of Radiologists’ 2025 clinical radiology census found north and west Wales among the worst-affected areas in the UK. There is a 42% shortfall in consultant radiologists there, compared with 22% in south Wales.
One of the main reasons, according to the report, is that Wales has more radiology departments affected by recruitment freezes than anywhere else in the UK. The radiology workforce in Wales grew by just 1.1% in 2024, well below the UK average of 5%.
Dr Owen Nicholas, a consultant oncologist in Swansea and chair of the Welsh committee for the Royal College of Radiologists, said: “It is not getting better and the patients are now getting affected.”
He said the shortage also takes a toll on clinicians. Doctors sometimes have to tell anxious patients they cannot say whether treatment has worked or the cancer has returned because the scan report has not arrived. Sometimes they must cancel appointments for the same reason. The primary concern is the patient, he said, but having to do this repeatedly is difficult for a clinician.
Health board says recruitment continues
Betsi Cadwaladr health board, which covers north Wales, said recruitment is ongoing. Clara Day, its executive medical director, said she understood the figures could be very worrying for patients. She said the board is actively recruiting in both radiology and oncology and is strengthening links with the North Wales Medical School to support future workforce development.
Day said that despite a substantial increase in demand for imaging, partnering with a third-party provider has helped bring down waiting times for scans and results since April. Those reporting times are closely monitored, she said.
She added that the board’s oncology strategy has led to nurse-led clinics and new specialist nurse teams for colorectal and breast metastatic cancer. Robust arrangements are in place, she said, to keep services safe and prioritise patients by clinical need.
Source: BBC Health
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving multilingual diaspora communities across Canada. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, NEPMCC, and the Canadian Freelance Union (Unifor). Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
