No recent assessment has been made. We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places, including for radiology, meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where the need is greatest.

To reform the NHS and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of the Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision. We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

The Government is committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work, to ensure the retention of our hardworking and dedicated staff, including oncologists and radiologists.

The Government recognises that a cancer-specific approach is needed to meet the challenges in cancer care, and to improve outcomes for people living with cancer. Following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan, we will publish a new National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients. We will continue to ensure that we train the staff we need to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it, and the cancer plan will reflect this.

NHS England continues to lead on a range of initiatives to boost retention, including supporting staff wellbeing, focusing on improving organisational culture, and promoting flexible working opportunities. Partial retirement is now also available as an alternative to full retirement, enabling NHS staff, with the agreement of their employer, to draw down some or all their pension whilst continuing to work and build up further pension, subject to a reduction in pensionable pay.

The Government is committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work, to ensure the retention of our hardworking and dedicated staff, including oncologists and radiologists.

The Government recognises that a cancer-specific approach is needed to meet the challenges in cancer care, and to improve outcomes for people living with cancer. Following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan, we will publish a new National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients. We will continue to ensure that we train the staff we need to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it, and the cancer plan will reflect this.

NHS England continues to lead on a range of initiatives to boost retention, including supporting staff wellbeing, focusing on improving organisational culture, and promoting flexible working opportunities. Partial retirement is now also available as an alternative to full retirement, enabling NHS staff, with the agreement of their employer, to draw down some or all their pension whilst continuing to work and build up further pension, subject to a reduction in pensionable pay.

We are committed to training the staff we need, including radiologists, to ensure that patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.

We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where the need is greatest.

To reform the NHS and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of the Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision. We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services, including investment in new magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners.

As announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, £1.65 billion of capital will be investment in 2025/26 to support NHS performance across secondary and emergency care, including funding for new diagnostic scanners.

The Government is continuing to invest in community diagnostic centres (CDCs) to expand diagnostic capacity, including for magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. 169 CDCs are currently operational, and have delivered nearly 14 million additional diagnostic tests since July 2021, as per latest published data, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/cdc-management-information/

Our Elective Reform Plan committed to building up to five new CDCs, as well as expanding existing CDCs and increasing opening hours.

In addition, the Government is backing the NHS with over £4 billion in operational capital in 2025/26, enabling systems to allocate funding to local priorities such as replacement diagnostic and radiotherapy equipment.

We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again. This will ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills, including in radiology departments, to deliver the care patients need when they need it.

As of February 2025, there are 5,859 full-time equivalent (FTE) doctors working in the specialty of clinical radiology in NHS trusts and other core organisations in England. This is 223, or 4.0%, more than in 2024 and 1,244, or 26.9%, more than in 2020. There are also 22,599 FTE therapeutic and diagnostic radiographers working in NHS trusts and other core organisations in England in February 2025. This is 1,140, or 5.3%, more than in 2024 and 4,606, or 25.6%, more than in 2020. Data on the NHS workforce is published by NHS England monthly, and is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics