Diagnostic waiting times for March 2023

Responding to March's Diagnostic Waiting Times data for England, The Royal College of Radiologists said:

“We welcome the improvements in the number of patients being treated within 62 days of an urgent cancer referral, but there’s still a long way to go in the process of recovering the backlog from COVID-19. It is disappointing that this month we continue to see a high proportion of people waiting over six weeks to receive a CT or MRI scan. 

“406 additional radiologists would need to be hired overnight to clear the six-week backlog in just one month, equivalent to an 11% increase in the current workforce.

“If the Prime Minister is serious about his priority of bringing down NHS waiting lists, as per his big five pledges, he must recognise the importance of the workforce in achieving this. 

“Now local elections have passed, we look forward to the swift publication of the much-needed workforce plan, the blueprint for ensuring we have enough doctors to safely treat patients in the months and years ahead.”