Dear Editors
At a time when healthcare professionals are stretched in numbers and experience and the NHS staffing is in crisis, it is challenging to expect allied health professionals to replace some roles of doctors, and not have a resulting shortage in the craftgroup being used as medical surrogates.
I understand the studies being quoted can be applied to other healthcare systems not in labour crisis, but then the question would be whether the indemnity of the reporting radiographers can cover their work and extended scope of practice, and if the cost savings, time difference and better mortality/morbidity outcomes are certain.
Remarkably the comments quoted in the news article do not consider the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) assisted diagnosis of lung cancer: its use has been found to perform better than relying on radiologist alone. There is much scope for the NHS to utilise this technology, when the staff shortage exists at all levels
Why IR (immediate radiographer) when you can AI (artificial intelligence)