A sharp increase in the annual radiology training intake is recommended in a new HSE National Doctors Training and Planning (NDTP) document.
The review recommended increasing the training intake into radiology from 39 in 2025 to 75 in 2028.
It noted that the increase “will require a substantial expansion” of the overall radiology training programme, with the total number of trainees projected to increase from 164 in 2025 to 375 in 2032.
This expansion assumes no further increases in training in 2029.
A further review of the intake, commencing in 2027, was recommended in the new report to feed into the estimates process and the 2029 trainee intake.
According to the NDTP review, as radiology has almost no non-training scheme posts to convert, the majority of this increase would need to be supported by new funding.
The Radiology Workforce in Ireland 2024-2040 Preliminary Stakeholder – Informed Review was published last month, the HSE confirmed to the Medical Independent (MI).
According to the executive summary, the objective was to inform the training requirements for radiology for 2026 to 2028.
This review was prepared in advance of a more in-depth assessment of the radiology service, including radiology and radiography workforce and infrastructure requirements.
This will be undertaken as part of the National Radiology Strategy 2025-2029, which is currently under discussion between the HSE and the Department of Health.
The inadequate number of consultant radiologists working in the healthcare system has been a source of ongoing concern.
“The number of radiologists in Ireland per capita is substantially below European norms,” according to the new report.
MI has previously reported on the shortages of radiologists and radiographers in the HSE, including in the BreastCheck screening programme.
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