Ireland’s Faculty of Radiologists says understaffed radiology departments need more help
The Faculty of Radiologists, the professional and academic body for clinical radiology and radiation oncology in Ireland, has asked for greater support for smaller radiology departments currently suffering due to inadequate staffing and equipment.
A review of more than 46,000 scans at University Hospital Kerry (UHK) found that 11 patients had a delayed diagnosis due to such staffing issues. Additionally, 13,000 scans had “significant errors,” though there were no negative outcomes for patients.
“These problems are most acute in small departments such as UHK, where burdens such as on-call duty are spread between a small number of consultants,” Niall Sheehy, MD, dean of the Faculty of Radiologists, said in a new report from the Irish Times. “These departments frequently have difficulty in recruiting consultant radiologists and may be over-reliant on locum support and outsourcing.”
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As a senior news writer for TriMed, Subrata covers cardiology, clinical innovation and healthcare business. She has a master’s degree in communication management and 12 years of experience in journalism and public relations.