NHS spends record £241m outsourcing scan analysis to private firms
Summary
The NHS in the UK is spending a record £241 million on private companies to analyze CT and MRI scans because hospitals do not have enough staff to do the work. This spending has increased sharply over recent years and raises concerns about the quality and long-term costs of relying on private firms.Key Facts
- The NHS paid £241 million to private firms in 2025 for analyzing diagnostic scans.
- Spending on outsourced scan reading has doubled since 2021 and tripled since 2018.
- There is a shortage of radiologists in the NHS, causing hospitals to outsource scan reading to private companies.
- Many NHS radiology department heads worry that private reports are of lower quality and require NHS radiologists to re-check them.
- About 86% of radiology heads have concerns about outsourcing quality, and 90% say NHS radiologists must double-check outsourced reports.
- The Royal College of Radiologists called for more training posts to increase NHS radiologists and reduce outsourcing.
- Private firms providing scan reading services to the NHS made £1.6 billion profit over two years.
- The government plans to publish a 10-year workforce strategy to address staffing shortages in the NHS.
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