Radiographers in Dorset on 48 hour strike
Members of the Society of Radiographers have voted to reject the Government's 5% pay award
Radiographers across the South West will be taking strike action for 48 hours from 8.00am today (Tuesday 25 July).
Members of the Society of Radiographers (SoR) in trusts including Dorset HealthCare are walking out, demanding "urgent improvements to pay and conditions for the radiography workforce".
They have rejected the government's 5% pay award - ministers say the offer is "fair and reasonable".
The SoR say nine out of 10 patients in the NHS are supported by a radiography professional, who are responsible for carrying out X-rays, MRI and CT scans, ultrasounds and breast screening, as well as radiotherapy for cancer patients.
They add that a million patients are currently waiting to be seen by a radiographer.
A radiographer working in breast screening in a Devon hospital, said: "Breast screening is something I feel passionate about. I like the fact that I can help ladies detect breast cancer, and help save their lives. I feel like I have purpose.
"But there’s so much pressure on the staff at the moment. We’re all working for what feels like pennies. The job’s really physical and hard-going.
"Breast services have the funding, but other services don’t have the funding to make things better, and the conditions are really, really bad."
One radiographer spoke of how, at the age of 30, he was still living with his parents. Another said that she was unable to afford to take her daughter on holiday, even for a week.
"I’m just working to pay my bills at the moment," the Devon radiographer said.
"My children are seven and 12. Because I can’t afford childcare for the summer holidays, I’m going to have to take my children to stay with my parents for four weeks. My parents don’t live in Devon, and I can’t afford to keep driving there every weekend, so I won’t see my children for four weeks."
Dean Rogers, executive director of industrial strategy and member relations for the SoR, said: "Voting for strike action was a difficult decision for our members, who care above all about the safety and wellbeing of their patients.
"We need to draw attention to the fact that many radiography professionals are feeling burnt out by low pay and increased hours. They’re leaving the NHS, and they are not being replaced in adequate numbers.
"If the government wants to reduce NHS waiting lists and ensure that patients receive the treatment they need, when they need it, then it must urgently prioritise the recruitment and retention of radiography professionals – and that means talking to us about pay and conditions. But they are refusing to talk to us, even though our door is open.
"Our members deserve better. Our patients deserve better."
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: "I want to see an end to disruptive strikes so the NHS can focus relentlessly on cutting waiting lists and delivering for patients.
"The majority of unions on the NHS Staff Council voted to accept the Government's fair and reasonable offer of a 5% pay rise for 2023-24, alongside two significant one-off payments totalling at least £1,655, putting more money in their pockets now.
"Over a million NHS staff, including radiographers, are already benefitting from that pay rise.
"The NHS also recently published the first ever NHS Long Term Workforce Plan to recruit and retain hundreds of thousands more staff.
"This pay award is final and so I urge the Society of Radiographers to call off strikes."