Radiographers 'backed into a corner'

The striking Radiographers at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust braved unseasonably cold and wet weather to make their point with passion and poise last week.
Standing together on the picket line outside Torbay Hospital, the Radiographers opted to strike for the first time in a desperate bid to highlight their concerns for the safety of patients and a viable future for the department.
James Reed, Radiology Quality Manager at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Backed into a corner, and with no current engagement from the government, we have been forced to make a stand.
“This is the first time in our history that we have done this alone, but we do this to save radiography services for our patients, and the best way to do that is to stand up for our profession. The public need us more than ever but we cannot deliver without more staff and resources."
Daisy Mucklow, Second Year Apprentice Radiographer at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, added: "I'm really passionate about the career I’m entering into. By training via the apprenticeship route, it has allowed me to gain a degree whilst being able to work alongside being a mother.
I love the team I work within, I love the job I do, and I love being able to care for patients, but the constant pressure and lack of resources, grouped together with the long-standing underfunding within radiology makes it exhausting for me to carry out my job role to the best of my ability.
“I really hope that these strikes can make a difference to not only the pay of both radiographers but all of the NHS workforce, but also draw some much-needed attention to Radiography as a profession and what we do on a daily basis to help patients within their care pathway, usually with little or no recognition for what we contribute."
The picket line consisted of radiographers dressed as skeletons as they hoped to attract public attention and shine a light on their fight for better pay and recognition of the radiography workforce.