Radiologist recruitment drive yet to see results

NHS: No vacancies filled in Tayside and Fife despite campaign

An international campaign to recruit radiologists for the Scottish NHS has yet to fill any vacancies in Tayside and Fife.

In March the Scottish Government launched an international campaign to bring 32 consultant grade radiologists to Scotland from overseas, increasing the total number employed by the NHS by 10%.

Nine of Scotland’s 14 health boards collaborated on the campaign, including NHS Tayside and NHS Fife.

It focused on recruiting radiologists from Western Europe, India, Australia, the USA and Canada.

Although it has been successful in soliciting 41 applications from overseas radiologists, only 16 of them made it through to the latter stages of the recruitment process.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Following its launch on March 5 the International Radiology Recruitment Campaign generated 41 formal applications, of which 16 applicants were screened as being suitable for further assessment.

“After two initial rounds of assessment, a number of offers of appointment have been made by health boards in Dumfries and Galloway, Forth Valley, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran – either on a substantive or locum basis. “The campaign is ongoing. “Candidates continue to be assisted as they look now to relocate to Scotland to take up post.”

NHS Fife is hoping to recruit three radiologists through the campaign while NHS Tayside is seeking to employ one.

Radiologists use medical imaging technology, including X-rays, to diagnose and treat diseases like cancer.

According to the Royal College of Radiologists, one in 10 radiologist posts in Scotland remain unfilled.

Radiologist numbers increased by just 3% between 2010 and 2015, the lowest rise in any of the home nations.

It is anticipated than 19% of consultant radiologists will retire by 2020 and 53% by 2030.

Scotland only has eight radiologists for every 100,000 people. The European average is 12 per 100,000.

Last month, Dr Grant Baxter, a consultant radiologist in Glasgow and chairman of the standing Scottish committee of the Royal College of Radiologists said he feared staff shortages could lead so some radiology departments folding altogether.

The Scottish Government has said it is increasing the number of trainee places available each year by 10.

smorkis@thecourier.co.uk