Cancer patients 'failed' by workforce shortages

CANCER patients are facing “dangerous” delays to their care because of staff shortages across the UK, according to a report.

- ELLA PICKOVER

And patient safety is being put at risk because of gaps in the cancer workforce, the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) warned.

The college said that any increase in the workforce is not keeping up with patient demand as it called for the UK Government to act to address the “ticking time bomb’ for cancer patients.

It said pledges to bring down cancer waiting lists cannot be delivered without more staff, in two reports on the staff shortages in oncology and radiology.

Staffing issues are creating a “postcode lottery” for patients whereby smaller cancer centres were more likely to report worries over workforce shortages, the RCR said.

The report on oncologists, or cancer doctors, highlights how seven in 10 heads of service at cancer centres said they were concerned about the impact workforce shortages had on patient safety. And 23% reported they were not allowed to hire more staff thanks to a recruitment freeze.

One consultant clinical oncologist told the RCR: “Safe delivery of cancer treatment is becoming increasingly impossible”