Find out more about Dr Nick Sceaton, President (2024-26)
1) In your opinion, what are the key issues and challenges for the radiology and radiation oncology workforce?
Severe and escalating workforce shortages of radiologists (30%), diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers (8%) and oncologists (15%) across the UK with shortages across the world. These are resulting in delays to patient management. In the UK service growth continues to outstrip workforce growth.
In each workforce there is historic understaffing relative to international comparators compounded by rapidly increasing demand driven by: an aging population; rapid advances in medical imaging and treatment including a proliferation of screening programmes; and a general increased reliance on imaging. This has all been exacerbated by significant backlogs precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Workforce shortages are a national issue in our specialities but regional disparities can lead to severe local shortfalls.
High workloads and high levels of stress in our workforce is contributing to burnout and retention difficulties further adding to under staffing. Work-life balance and the increasing demand for flexible working conditions further impacts on staff retention. Which is compounded by hybrid working and opportunities offered by international, private and outsourcing providers. NHS providers must ensure that they adapt to the changing workforce, working patterns and the working environment to ensure the NHS is an attractive place to work.
Training pathways for both radiologists and radiation oncologists are lengthy and complex, requiring advanced workforce planning and resources. While there have been efforts to expand training numbers there remains a major shortfall in training capacity which must be urgently addressed. This will require significant investment.
Both fields are undergoing significant technological advancements, such as AI and machine learning in radiology, and increasingly sophisticated radiotherapy techniques (e.g., proton therapy, stereotactic body radiotherapy). While these innovations enhance the precision and effectiveness of treatments and may improve efficiency, they also require an increasingly skilled workforce with the necessary time and resource for professional development. Implementation of these innovations also requires engagement, critical appraisal and funding to ensure that quality is improved and potential benefits are realised. Despite the clear need for urgent investment in radiology and radiation oncology as outlined in the Richards and Darzi reports, funding constraints continue to limit our ability expand NHS services, invest in new technologies, and train more specialists.
In summary, the radiology, radiography and radiation oncology workforce in the UK is grappling with significant challenges, from workforce shortages and burnout to the pressures of advancing technology and evolving patient needs. Addressing these issues requires a coordinated effort, including increased investment in recruitment and training, improvements in working conditions, effective resource allocation, and ongoing support for professional development. A comprehensive strategy that addresses these multifaceted issues will be essential to ensure that the workforce can continue to meet the demands of modern healthcare and provide high-quality care to patients.
2) Which three doctors or scientists (past or present) would you like to spend an evening with and why?
Leonardo Da Vinci, Albert Einstein and Alan Turing
Spending an evening with them would be an extraordinary opportunity, especially when viewed through the lens of radiology and medical imaging. Each of these figures contributed to fields that have had a profound influence on the development of radiology, either directly or indirectly, through their pioneering work in science, mathematics, and technology.
They were all revolutionary thinkers whose work has shaped the foundation of modern science and technology. Each made advancements in areas that are fundamental to radiology: Da Vinci in human anatomy, the art of visualization and innovation, Einstein in the physics of energy and light, and Turing in computation and algorithms. I would be interested in their collective and colliding insights into the future of radiology.
Spending an evening with them would no doubt result in a lot of invention, confusion, and laughter. Between flying MRI machines, relativity-based diagnostic techniques, and AI-diagnosed sarcasm, it would be a night of imagining the imaging—with a healthy dose of humour, because when you’re surrounded by such brilliant minds, you have to laugh at the impossible!
3) How would you describe the BIR – in one sentence?
The British Institute of Radiology (BIR) is a dynamic inclusive multidisciplinary organisation which fosters collaboration, education, and innovation in radiology, radiation oncology, and medical imaging, supporting practitioners in advancing patient care through research and best practices. Why did you originally become a radiologist?
4) Why did you originally become a radiologist?
I was inspired by two radiologists at medical school: Prof Adrian Dixon in Cambridge who taught me anatomy with a clinical radiology / CT bent and Prof Basil Shepstone who brought imaging to life in the weekly clinical student tutorials. Both brought huge enthusiasm and emphasized the fundamental role of imaging in diagnosis and guiding treatment. For me the challenge of efficiently and accurately establishing and conveying a correct diagnosis has always been the most intellectually stimulating facet of medicine.
5) 25 years from now, what do you think we will say is the best innovation of the 21st century in healthcare?
The integration of AI-driven personalised medicine, where advanced algorithms and data from genomics, imaging, and patient history work seamlessly to provide real-time, tailored treatments.
6) What is your proudest achievement (in work or out)?
My daughters – Roisin, Aoife and Orla.
7) Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
My parents and wife.
8) When you are not working, how do you like to spend your time?
Dog walking, hiking, cycling and travelling.
9) What might we be surprised to know about you?
Following an unsuccessful university application to medical school I spent a year as a builder’s labourer. Everything is possible!
10) Who would you like to play you in a film about your life?
I’d want someone who can balance the light-hearted banter of daily medical life, the nuances of teamworking within and outside the radiology, and the seriousness of the work where precision of diagnosis and communication is key. Benedict Cumberbatch would be my ideal choice - he has that intensity and intelligence and attention to detail, charm and humour, plus in his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, he’s already got the whole “spotting the unseen” thing down to a T!
