Waiting lists grow despite more diagnostic imaging tests than ever before

The National Health Service is grappling with a persistent diagnostic crisis as waiting lists remain stubbornly high, even though the service has reached record-breaking levels of activity. The strain on diagnostic imaging services continues to present a significant challenge for healthcare delivery.

Record imaging volumes clash with climbing demand

In March 2026, radiographers performed 2.07 million diagnostic imaging tests. This figure represents the highest monthly total ever recorded, according to the Society of Radiographers (SoR). Despite this increase in capacity, the number of patients waiting for tests remains high. In October 2024, more than two million scans were conducted in a single month, yet the number of patients waiting for these diagnostic tests reached 1.11 million.

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Dean Rogers, executive director of industrial strategy for the Society of Radiographers, stated that demand for diagnostic imaging is rising inexorably. He further highlighted that the target for patients waiting more than six weeks for a test has not been met since 2013.

Workforce shortages undercut the gains

The radiography workforce faces significant pressures, with an average vacancy rate of 15 per cent reported by the SoR. Some departments encounter higher shortfalls, and 82 per cent of radiographers report that their departments rely on regular overtime to maintain rosters. This high-pressure environment has contributed to widespread burnout; an SoR survey of more than 1,300 members indicated that 65 per cent had experienced burnout directly linked to their work.

Richard Evans, CEO of the Society and College of Radiographers, warned that current strategies are insufficient. Without investment in more radiographers, NHS waiting lists will continue to rise inexorably, Evans stated via The Guardian. He described suggestions that better use of existing capacity alone could solve the crisis as a naive misrepresentation of the actual situation.

Pay gaps and policy inertia

The Society of Radiographers reports that its members’ pay is 24 per cent behind where it would be if it had risen in line with the average across the rest of the UK economy since 2008. The government’s recommended increase of 2.8 per cent has been described as derisory by the SoR. The SoR has stated that it is still waiting for a credible government workforce plan to materialise.

International perspective: The United States

Diagnostic and appointment delays are also reported in the United States, where a 2024 analysis of new-patient appointments across 23 metropolitan areas found the average wait for the third next available slot was 38 days, compared to an unofficial industry benchmark of 14 days. Only 16 out of 253 market-specialty combinations met that benchmark. Geographic variation was significant, with average waits ranging from 27 days in Houston to 70 days in Boston. Similar to findings in the UK, experts note that excessive waits can affect patient outcomes and provider productivity, and they are frequently linked to increased no-show and cancellation rates.

Patient anxiety and the human cost of waiting

The experience of waiting for appointments and test results can create significant psychological burden. According to Stanford Medicine, such delays can cause open-ended uncertainty that dominates a patient's life, turning medical follow-ups into a primary preoccupation. Economic pressures have led to shorter physician visits, which can leave patients feeling that their psychosocial needs have not been addressed.