Radiographer strike: what do they do, which services will be impacted - full list of NHS trusts affected

Radiographers at 37 NHS trusts are beginning a 48-hour strike in parts of England over pay and recruitment problems which has left one million patients on waiting lists.

The strike will begin at 8pm on Tuesday (25 July) and patients can expect disruption to services at NHS trusts across the country.

Staffing levels will only be akin to those during Christmas Day and Boxing Day to provide “life and limb” emergency cover.

Radiographers perform vital scans on patients including X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerised-tomography (CT) scans, ultrasounds and breast screening, as well as radiotherapy for cancer patients.

It is urged that anyone needing urgent medical care should still come forward as normal particularly if situations are life-threatening or if someone is seriously ill or injured.

The Society of Radiographers said nine out of 10 patients in the NHS are supported by a radiography professional but too few are being recruited or retained which is increasing patient waiting times and delaying vital diagnosis and treatment for months.

A radiology department assistant who works in a Southampton hospital, said she is “regularly dealing with patients who are stressed out” and “recently had to stay late after a 13-and-a-half-hour MRI shift to help the guys in CT, because there were just too many patients – and they were all urgent.”

She said: “I was working with two colleagues who were also at the end of a 13-and-a-half-hour shift. We’d done nothing but scan the whole day, and now we were being asked to help out another scanner.

“Our waiting list is huge. One time, we went through 20 patients in two hours in emergency CT. I ended up with a nosebleed, I was that stressed.”

The radiology department assistant added that she agonised over the decision of whether or not to go out on strike but she wants the government to “actually listen to us” and for people to understand that “we wouldn’t be doing it if we had any other choice.”

Dean Rogers, executive director of industrial strategy and member relations for the Society of Radiographers, said strike action is needed to “draw attention to the fact that many radiography professionals are feeling burnt out by low pay and increased hours.”

He added: “If the government wants to reduce NHS waiting lists and ensure that patients receive the treatment they need, when they need it, then it must urgently prioritise the recruitment and retention of radiography professionals – and that means talking to us about pay and conditions. But they are refusing to talk to us, even though our door is open.”

In terms of pay and long hours, the government said its offer of a 5% pay rise combined with one-off payments totalling at least £1,655 is "reasonable" and "final".

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson previously said it is “disappointing that some members of the Society of Radiographers have voted to take strike action”.

The spokesperson added: "The majority of unions on the NHS Staff Council voted to accept the government’s fair and reasonable pay offer and over one million eligible NHS staff are receiving their pay rise this month.

"We urge the Society of Radiographers to carefully consider the likely impact of any action on patients."

Listed are the NHS Trusts where the strikes are taking place:

• Airedale NHS Foundation Trust
• Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
• Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Croydon Health Services NHS Trust
• Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust
• East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
• Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
• Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
• King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
• Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
• Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust
• Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
• Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust
• Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
• Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Solent NHS Trust
• South Westminster Centre for Health
• Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust
• St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
• The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
• The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust
• Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
• University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
• University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
• University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
• University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
• West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
• Whittington Health NHS Trust
• Wye Valley NHS Trust