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A shortage of sonographers across the UK is causing significant delays in essential ultrasound scans for pregnant women and cancer patients, experts warn. The scarcity of trained staff, particularly in the north west and south east of England, is putting lives at risk by prolonging waiting times for these critical diagnostic procedures. According to NHS sonographers, roughly a quarter of job vacancies remain unfilled in England, making it challenging to meet the increasing demand for ultrasound services.
Ultrasound scans are a routine part of prenatal care, with pregnant women typically receiving two scans: one between 11 and 14 weeks and another between 18 and 21 weeks of pregnancy. These scans help estimate delivery dates, assess fetal growth, and detect potential health issues affecting vital organs such as the brain, heart, and spinal cord. Additional scans may be required for ongoing monitoring of the mother and baby. However, due to staffing shortages, urgent scans requested at short notice are frequently delayed, heightening anxiety among expectant mothers who must wait longer for crucial information about their pregnancies.
Katie Thompson, president of the Society of Radiographers and an experienced sonographer, explained that many hospitals struggle to accommodate emergency scans for patients with pregnancy concerns. She highlighted the emotional toll these delays take: “That raises anxiety – and that’s not good to have in pregnancy.” Compounding the problem, some ultrasound departments must reassign sonographers from other services to maintain antenatal care, which can negatively impact patient care elsewhere. Beyond pregnancy, ultrasound plays a vital role in diagnosing cancers and examining organs like the liver and kidneys. Delays in these areas also pose serious risks to patients’ health.
Data collected by the Society of Radiographers from more than 110 NHS ultrasound departments reveals widespread staffing shortages throughout the UK, including Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. In England alone, the vacancy rate for sonographers has doubled since 2019, rising from 12% to 24%. The south east of England has been hit hardest with 38% of posts unfilled, followed by 30% in the North West; the North East and Yorkshire report an 11% vacancy rate. Contributing issues include limited career progression, relatively low pay, and the lure of better prospects in the private healthcare sector. Training new sonographers is a lengthy process, making a rapid increase in workforce numbers difficult. Thompson emphasized the importance of a timely NHS workforce plan that includes strategies to recruit and retain skilled sonographers, cautioning that investment in equipment and facilities must be matched by investment in the workforce.
The Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged the pressures on diagnostic services and sonography teams, noting efforts to expand community diagnostic centres and extend opening hours to ease hospital burdens. They affirmed ongoing actions to ensure the NHS has adequate skilled staff to respond to rising demand and provide timely care. Meanwhile, clinicians like Dr Jenny Barber, consultant obstetrician and vice president for clinical quality at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, called the high vacancy levels “very concerning,” urging meaningful investment in the maternity workforce to maintain quality care amid increasingly complex pregnancies
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