Shortage Of Radiographers Leads To Overseas Recruitment Drive
A shortage of crucial medical staff has seen an increase in the recruitment of radiography staff from abroad. The health sector seems to have consistent and sustained issues with staffing levels with increasing movement towards the private sector, the recruitment of specialist staff to both public and private sector appears to be increasingly difficult. There is an acknowledged shortage of radiographers within the UK and the NHS has gone on a drive to encourage more radiography professionals within the health service. This shortage has seen the importation of radiography professionals from abroad, notably from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland in an attempt to plug the skills gap in both the private sector and the NHS. This shortage has been exploited by the commercial sector in an attempt to aid the governments drive to recruit skilled staff to these sectors. The rise of specialist recruitment agencies such as RIG Radiography Recruit specifically targets this apparent gap in the employment sector to fill the radiography job vacancies in both the public and private sectors. Interestingly, this site and others like it, look both within the UK and abroad in its attempts to encourage qualified radiography professionals to enter the UK health sector. The shortage of radiography jobs is felt not only in the UK, but worldwide. A US study reveals similar shortages in crucial healthcare specialists demonstrating a wider problem with radiography recruitment. Whilst the contribution of specialist radiography recruitment sites contributes to alleviating the shortfall of radiographers, there appears to be a systemic issue in Western nations in filling the empty radiography jobs.
