The rising demand for medical ultrasound1, coupled with a well-documented national shortage of sonographers2, prompted the Scottish Radiology Transformation Programme (SRTP) to undertake a comprehensive survey to assess ultrasound demand, capacity and workforce across Scotland3.
The findings across all 14 Scottish health boards were striking: there was a sonographer vacancy rate of 13%, with 12% of the workforce planning to retire within three years. Recruitment efforts were proving challenging, with boards increasingly dependent on locum staff to manage waiting lists, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Alarmingly, trainee numbers did not align with the projected workforce deficit. In addition, boards reported a significant "training burden", citing increased patient throughput and limited dedicated training time, factors that intensified pressures on existing staff. These findings underscored an urgent need to expand the sonography workforce nationwide.
NHS Scotland Academy (NHSSA), an innovative partnership...
Sign in to your account
Log in
This content is available to registered users only. Please sign in to continue.
If you are not yet registered, please create your account on www.sor.org and verify your membership status. Once your account has been set up, return here and sign in to access the content.
Set up your account