Cancer care 'time-bomb' warning over doctor shortage

Doctors have warned cancer patients in Scotland will wait longer for treatment and diagnosis unless more specialists are recruited.

New reports from the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) show that Scotland currently has a 25% shortage of radiologists and a 19% shortage of oncologists, with these shortfalls expected to rise by 2029.

The RCR described cancer care as a "ticking time bomb" and warned that a patient's risk of death can increase by 10% for every month treatment is delayed.

Health Secretary Neil Gray told the BBC the government is "investing heavily" to recruit more oncologists and radiologists.

Dr Katharine Halliday, president of the RCR, said: "Patients are being failed by a chronic lack of radiologists and oncologists.

"Despite the best efforts of NHS staff, there aren't enough doctors to ensure prompt, safe and effective care and the outlook is bleak.

"The government must train up more radiologists and oncologists to defuse this ticking time bomb for cancer diagnosis and treatment."

The two RCR reports show the results of a "workforce census" of clinical radiology and clinical oncology staff in 2024.

They show regional disparities in staff shortages, with 34 radiologists currently needed to meet demand in the north of Scotland, whereas nine are needed in south-east Scotland.

The north of Scotland is also expected to see a 43% shortfall in the number of oncologists by 2029, compared with 31% across Scotland as a whole.

Neil Gray told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We've got a 40% increase in the number of radiologists from 10 years ago, and a 27% increase in the number of oncologists compared to 10 years ago, and we're ing the training of more so that we can help to address the demand that there is in the system."

He added there has been a increased demand on cancer services, and the NHS is treating more patients than it was 10 years ago.

Gray added: "We need to both address the demand upon services, which is what we are seeking to do by reducing waiting times, but also seek to reduce the potential for people to have to seek cancer services by addressing the population health reasons as to why there is an increased level of cancer in society."

The reports also detail a "retention crisis" among cancer specialists - the median age of consultant clinical radiologists leaving the NHS was 38 in 2024, compared with 58 the year before.

Seven in 10 leavers last year were also under the age of 45.

Gray added that government is also investing in wellbeing measures to help improve staff retention.

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said the "damning report" exposed the SNP's "chronic failure on cancer care".

He added: "We know how crucial early diagnosis and treatment is to patients' survival chances, but the demand for care is outpacing capacity. Unless the SNP take action now, this crisis will only deepen.

"The SNP haven't met their own cancer waiting time targets in over a decade. Throwing money at short-term fixes won't solve this deep-rooted crisis."