Radiographers on strike in Worthing get support from 'vast majority' but 'we did get a few thumbs down'

The Society of Radiographers said its members would be holding 48-hour strikes at some hospitals trusts in the South East, from 8am on Tuesday until 8am on Thursday.

Radiographers are allied health professionals who take x-rays and other medical images to assist doctors in diagnosing diseases and injuries.

Fraser Esmond was the picket supervisor for the society outside Worthing Hospital on Tuesday and Wednesday (July 25-26).

He said: “We’ve had plenty of public support and the vast majority has been positive. People have been honking their horns which has been really nice and encouraging.

"There’s been a couple of people – one yesterday and one today – giving a thumbs down out the window of their car. That’s inevitable if you are getting 200 cars drive past. If the rest are honking and smiling, we will take out.”

Fraser said there is ‘a lot of stress’ involved in his job.

"I absolutely love my job and most people you speak to love what they do but it is stressful,” he said.

"We have staff going off sick because of burn-out. People with their own mental health issues because the hours are long.

"It’s tough. It’s busy – chaotic sometimes. The waiting lists are very long. Patients are rightly upset.

"We want to do the best we can for patients and provide a proper service. When staff levels are short, sometimes you feel you can’t give the care you want to give.

"It’s all a bit of a rush. It’s a matter of treating it like a conveyor belt and getting patients through as quick as you can. It’s a shame really because it shouldn’t be what it’s about.”

Fraser said the aim is get to a position ‘where people want to be radiographers’.

He said: “At the moment, people don’t know what it is. People ask us what it involves. Part of that is because the pay and working conditions just aren’t good enough.

"People don’t want to be radiographers. Our vacancy rate is huge, country-wide and at Worthing Hospital.

"We put a job offer out and we get zero applications, it does happen. There’s not enough people training for it as there isn’t enough motivation, unfortunately.

“When you consider inflation, the five per cent we’ve been offered doesn’t cut the mustard. If the situation is bad now and the NHS is suffering, it’s only going to get worse if we are not getting a pay rise in line with inflation.”

Up to 25 people were on the picket line outside Worthing Hospital – with equates to 80 per cent of the department.

“The others were on life and limb cover for emergencies that come through,” Fraser said. “The important thing was that patients that needed care today were not suffering and they aren’t.

"There is still cover in the department, lots of people still there. If someone really needs treatment or X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds, they can get it.

"The main thing is other things were put on hold today to send the message, for the greater good and long term, we need a pay rise.”