Members of the Society of Radiographers (SoR) working at 37 NHS trusts in England have been protesting over pay and work conditions, side by side with junior doctors, leaving patients without significant support. Their walkouts have already cost patients a lot, because radiologists carry out X-rays, CTs, and MRIs, facilitate the imagery for orthopedic treatment, neurological care, and provide radiotherapy to cancer patients. 

What does it mean in numbers?

Over 74.2% of people were diagnosed or had cancer ruled out within 28 days of an urgent referral in December 2023. The target of 75%, however, has never been met since its introduction in October 2021. Over 65.9% of people in England received their diagnosis and started their first treatment within two months (or 62 days) of an urgent referral in December 2023.

Data obtained during research has shown that around 36,000 NHS cancer appointments have been cancelled due to strikes since December 2022, when junior doctors first walked out. Therefore, the indication that each month is lost by delayed referral may cause the risk of cancer to increase by 10% for any patient diagnosed since 2022. It is worth remembering that at this point, the prognosis of survival of cancer is different for different cancer types – some progress quicker than others – we know the overall impact is likely to be negative. The government had its time to reflect how profound consequences of delaying are, after reading in few studies that a four-week delay to cancer surgery led to a 6 - 8% increased risk of dying. 

But not only cancer patients were suffering from the industrial actions. In response to the latest data, 93,196 appointments have been delayed across hospital, mental health and community services due to the latest round of industrial action. Senior leaders expect the official total of operations and appointments cancelled during strikes to exceed one million. Disabled people, 52%; neurodivergent people, 51%; and people on lower incomes, ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ being affected the most, 49% respectively. Over three-quarters (79%) of people said they had been offered very little or no support by the NHS to manage mental health needs during the new wait for care. 

What's more, strikes are expected to cost the NHS an estimated £3 billion due to staff cover costs and income lost from delayed elective activities. Trusts and their partners have already tightened their funds to get substantial efficiency in savings totalling so far £4.8 billion only this year. Inflation is piling on extra pressure, creating a financial black hole of £1.7 billion, leaving little in reserve to invest in the extra capacity the NHS needs to deal with rising demand. Late payments only confirmed suspicions that the government is not going to take medical staff seriously, despite strikes leaving patients at risk.

Written by Glanelle Keyede

Moderated by Joanna