Review of radiation therapy staffing recommends 'urgent action' on vacancies
Cancer 25 Ireland Needing Has Radiotherapy Over Registry Cancer A Next Patients Denis Minihane In 77% Predicted Years Increase Picture: File The National
An unpublished review of radiation therapy staffing has recommended “urgent action” on vacancies to meet a predicted 77% increase in cancer patients needing treatment.
An “immediate” increase in training places is also needed, a working group has advised in a report submitted to the Department of Health.
Radiation is a life-saving part of treatment for thousands of cancer patients.
Radiotherapists went public last year about a vacancy rate of around 30% at HSE sites and warned patients were being seen as late as 10pm.
The review has now confirmed “the reality” includes high vacancy levels with people quitting due to burnout and lack of career opportunities.
These issues and ever-increasing patient numbers mean “urgent action is required”, the working group said.
They recommended finding ways to make the profession more attractive to existing staff.
In April 2023, the equivalent of 217 full-time therapists were working for the HSE, which was three fewer than in December 2019, the review found.
Some 89.4% of the HSE therapists are women.
Among therapists working in private and public healthcare “just 4% of registrants are over 50 years of age, with over three-quarters of the profession under 40 years of age”, the review said.
However, pay for radiation therapists was outside the remit of this review.
Another problem is a shortage of training places with only a combined 42 places available through University College Cork and Trinity College Dublin.
The review said: “Immediate actions should be taken to seek to increase the volume of entry to practice training places for the 2024/2025 academic year and beyond.”
It recommended each training site should have a full-time practice tutor.
Cork University Hospital does not have one while University Hospital Galway has part-time hours only for this role, the review found.
Earlier this month, concerns were raised by cancer healthcare workers when Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced an expansion of training places for four therapies but not for radiation.
In addition, the review recommended a taskforce to look at intermediate workforce planning.
Participants should include the National Cancer Control Programme, the HSE, Siptu, and the Department of Health among others.
It should engage with universities and the regulator for this profession, Coru.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: “The review has recently been completed and the finalised report is due to be published.
“Implementation of any recommendations from the review will be subject to approval from the Department of Health and the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Project delivery and reform.”
Last year, the HSE told the that weekly crisis meetings were taking place under the National Cancer Control Programme to find solutions to these shortages.
In 2021, they submitted a business case recommending this review.
This highlighted a National Cancer Registry Ireland prediction for a 77% increase in cancer patients needing radiotherapy over the next 25 years.