SoR Vice President Tom Welton has called on members to make their voices heard on the pay award by voting now to ensure their ballot papers arrive by 28 June.
"If you haven’t already, get them in", said Tom. "Whichever your vote decision, please speak up".
In a letter to SoR members, Tom gave his own reasons for rejecting the pay ‘offer’ and why he backed industrial action at this time:
- Retention: We need to be more competitive with other industries both inside and outside of healthcare. This will prevent migration out of the NHS and help us keep the amazing workforce we so desperately rely on.
- Recruitment: Why come and work for the NHS in a world of increasing prices and a cost-of-living crisis? We are seeing a dip in university admissions for pre-reg courses, and we must tempt people into the amazing world of the NHS. An important factor for many is the financial incentives a career will bring. We must boost this to tempt more talent and future proof public healthcare.
- Radiographers are not nurses: I love our nurses and the amazing work they do, but how often does the public and media confuse our profession with nursing? This is our opportunity to shout from the rooftops exactly who we are and how important our roles are to healthcare. I believe by shouting out, we can change attitudes to both diagnostic and therapeutic sides of our profession.
- Legacy: I want to look back in 10, 20, 30 years and know I have done everything I can to provide a positive legacy for the next generation. To me, this is to protect our workforce and bolster our position in both diagnostics and therapies. I struggle with inaction and this to me is an opportunity to speak up. Especially as the RCN nurses and the BMA junior doctors are also continuing their campaigns for fairer pay.
Tom said he did not expect all members to support industrial action: "I totally understand that, but please think through the wider picture and how we can change things for the better. It is everyone’s responsibility.
"The Royal College of Radiologists has recently published a report stating that 97% of UK cancer centres have experienced delays in patient treatment because of staff shortages over the past year. Something needs to be done. If you haven’t cast your vote, time is running out, post your vote."
You can email Tom if you have any questions at Thomas.Welton@lthtr.nhs.uk, or if you are a member based at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals you can request a face-to-face discussion.