A longitudinal review of Scottish reporting radiographer output between 2015 and 2019

Scottish radiographer reporting has been slow in its initiation compared with the wider UK. However, healthcare delivery imperatives require improvement in meeting seamless imaging acquisition and reporting. Initiatives supporting radiographer reporting could be extended to meet gaps in radiology and wider health service provision.

Development drivers leading to a national reporting radiographer (RR) framework initiated this RR service analysis. All 14 Scottish health boards (and the waiting time centre) provided RR performance details, staffing make up and practice scopes between 2015 and 2019, with gap analyses performed via surveys to radiology managers in 2017 and 2019. Further expenditure data was provided by the National Procurement Directorate.

A reporting radiographer census revealed details of changing levels of practice and areas of working within musculo-skeletal projection radiograph reporting. Gap analyses two years apart showed little wider service change and growing external reporting costs. Managers identified areas where RRs could reduce costs, shorten reporting timeframes and broaden service development potential across all staff.

Scottish RRs have a growing cost effective role. To extend this, the radiographic workforce should embrace the various employment tiers and how this contributes to ideal patient pathway outcomes. Technical development and service transformation will drive future workforce change and has the potential to refocus radiographer roles with others to deliver seamless diagnostic and public health oriented services.

Current service demand is supported by RRs identifying themselves as advanced practitioners. To meet deficiencies in service delivery, broadened practice scopes are required spanning the different grades of the profession, supported by education approaches to meet national geographic and staffing issues.