What is happening
In Northern Ireland: there will be a 48 hour strike across all HSC trusts, from 8am on Thursday 21st September to 8am on Saturday 23rd September 2023.
In England: there will be a 24 hour strike across a number of NHS Trusts, from 8am on Tuesday 3 October to 8am on Wednesday 4 October 2023.
We would rather not strike and interrupt your care but the Government are not listening. This strike is a cry for help for our members, patients and the NHS/HSC. Our workforce is in crisis and you, our patients, deserve better.
Where and why we are striking
BHSCT:
- Belfast City Hospital (Diagnostic)
- Belfast City Hospital (Therapeutic – Cancer Centre)
- Royal Victoria Hospital
- Mater Hospital
- Musgrave Park Hospital
NHSCT:
- Whiteabbey Hospital
- Antrim Hospital
- Mid Ulster Hospital
- Causeway Hospital
- Ballymena Health and Care centre
SEHCT:
- Ulster Hospital
- Lagan Valley Hospital
- Downe Hospital
SHSCT:
- Craigavon Hospital
- Daisy Hill Hospital
- South Tyrone Hospital
WHSCT:
- Altnagelvin Hospital (Diagnostic)
- North West Cancer Centre (Therapeutic)
- Omagh Health and Care Complex
- South West Acute Hospital
England | Affected Trusts
- 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
- St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHSFT
- 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
Waiting lists exist due to the Government’s failure to invest in enough staff and equipment to meet the rising demand for radiography.
For more than 15 years the demand for diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers has been growing by double the number of trainees. This means the gap between supply of staff and demand has been widening every year.
Britain has half the number of CT and MRI scanners compared to France. Again, this is because the Government is not investing enough in clinical imaging services and radiotherapy cancer treatment.
The waiting lists are not solely caused by the pandemic, but this was a tipping point. Demand to clear waiting lists, without extra staff or equipment necessary, is forcing radiographers to work excessive hours.
We now have record sickness absences as well as radiography professionals leaving because of burnout and low morale.
Unless the Government addresses the crisis around radiography recruitment and retention, the NHS is at risk.
Pay has fallen for health professionals
Pay and reward for health professionals, like radiographers, has fallen over the last 15 years.
Below inflation pay increases have been the norm.
In England this year’s 5% award gave experienced radiographers less than £70 extra take home pay per month, which will be wiped out by increased housing and living costs. While in Northern Ireland, there has been no awardand professionals are dropping further behind the rest of the UK.
Newly qualified graduates can barely pay basic bills without working excessive overtime.
Improving pay will encourage more people to enter our profession and to stay for their whole career.
Supporting us
We want to thank you all for your patience during this difficult time. If you'd like to support us there are a range of things you can do, including:
- Write to your MP and ask why key NHS/HSC workers are underpaid, overworked and undervalued.
- Make a donation to the Benevolent Fund, which helps radiography professionals and their families during times of hardship.
- Follow us on social media and share our content to help raise awareness about our profession
Contact us
If you have any questions drop us a line to [email protected] or reach out via social media:
