Watchdog exposes NHS X-ray service backlogs

A health watchdog has raised concerns over how some diagnostic services are run after finding that tens of thousands of patients were caught up in backlogs.

Backlogs in radiology services meant test results at one trust were not assessed for eight months, the Care Quality Commission found. It launched a national review into radiology services after it found a significant backlog at another trust last year. The watchdog found that more than 20,000 X-rays had not been reviewed by a radiologist or an appropriately trained clinician at one hospital.