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Supporting radiographers to become advanced practitioners would help cut cancer waiting times, save tens of millions of pounds and improve patient care, the Society of Radiographers has told the government.
To mark World Radiography Day 2026 on Monday (November 9), the SoR issued a call to the government to make a concrete commitment to increase the number of advanced practice radiographers.
Upskilling more radiographers to interpret and report diagnostic imaging results would help reduce waiting times for cancer patients and ease patients' anxiety while waiting for results.
Training and retaining the workforce
Fifteen per cent of diagnostic radiographers are already trained to provide formal reports on a defined scope of medical images, which allows them to read and interpret images and scans for some patients.
Alongside calls for increased investment in advanced practitioner education and training, the SoR is also lobbying for an NHS workforce plan that would include a fully funded proposal to increase the number of radiographers and advanced practice radiographers.
Rachel Nolan, president of the Society of Radiographers, said: “Offering advanced training helps to retain the existing radiography workforce – it provides focused clinical career development within a specific scope of practice that they have been educated and trained in.
“But the biggest benefits are for the patients.
“Advanced practitioners are already helping to ensure that patients are seen quickly, safely and efficiently, working more effectively as part of the multiprofessional expert teams. This is the NHS that our patients deserve.”
‘Helping to reduce scanxiety’- a patient's view
Breast-cancer patient Trish MacNeill had an MRI scan in late August to see if her cancer had returned, but is still waiting for the results.
She said: “You’re held hostage until you see a doctor.
“Any relief, any information, any reduction in anxiety would be amazing. Information helps you handle anxiety and the process you’re going through. Instead, I’m left chasing down a doctor to translate the results for me.
Poppy Thompson, an SoR member and advanced practitioner in breast radiotherapy based in Cambridge, said: “There’s such a shortage of clinical oncologists that delays can happen in terms of getting patients into treatment.”
“We know that the longer that patients wait for treatment, the greater the likelihood of the cancer coming back or the patient not being cured.”
Discover the SoR’s dedicated guidance, educational resources, and accreditation pathways to support your journey into advanced practice here.