To ask the Minister of Health to detail the action his Department is taking to address the workforce shortfalls in (i) clinical radiologists; and (ii) clinical oncologists.

Much has been achieved over recent years to grow the clinical radiologist workforce to meet increasing service demand. Places on the local clinical radiology programme commissioned by my Department have been increased by 46%, from 37 (2015/16) to 54 (2022/23). However, the 2024/25 Budget outcome was extremely disappointing for this Department meaning that a further three training places, which have been identified across the HSC Trusts, could not be recruited. We will proceed to do so when the necessary funding is identified. In addition, as identified in my Department’s Strategic Framework for Imaging Services in Health and Social Care (2018), a more innovative approach is required to enable further progress to be made in creating a local radiologist workforce of the size required to meet future demand.

Accordingly, a business case is being developed for a multi-professional Imaging Academy for Northern Ireland to address radiology and advanced practice radiographer workforce deficits. Progress remains subject to business case approval and the availability of funding.

Pending the establishment of the Imaging Academy, a costed workforce plan (approximately £6m per annum over the next 3-5 years) for imaging services has also been developed, to bring training within imaging teams, including clinical radiologists, up to date. Currently this remains unfunded.

The overall approach with respect to the clinical oncologist workforce is set out in A Cancer Strategy for Northern Ireland 2022 – 2032. By 2024/25, £10.88m will have a been invested to stabilise HSC Trusts’ oncology and haematology services. An additional 167.6 WTE posts have been provided across the full range of healthcare disciplines delivering oncology and haematology services as set out in the following table.