NHS spends record 241m outsourcing scan analysis to private firms

NHS trusts and health boards across the UK paid private firms record sums to interpret CT and MRI scans because hospitals are too busy and understaffed to do the work themselves. Spending on outsourced scan reading reached 241m last year, doubling from 120m in 2021 and tripling from 81m in 2018. The NHS-wide shortage of radiologists limits capacity to read scans promptly, leading to higher payments to independent firms. Concerns were raised that outsourced reports can be poor, requiring NHS radiologists to re-read scans. Most radiology department heads reported serious concerns about lower-quality reports and said NHS radiologists need to double-check outsourced work. Outsourcing may reduce backlogs short term but cannot solve long-term workforce shortages.

"NHS trusts and health boards across the UK gave 241m to private firms to undertake such work last year. As demand increases, spending has doubled in five years from 120min 2021 and tripled from the 81m spent in 2018. The figure for 2025 of 241m was 25m or 12% higher than the 216m outsourcing bill a year earlier."

"The NHS-wide shortage of radiologists has left hospitals with too little capacity to read all scans, meaning the service is haemorrhaging cash to independent firms, it said. The RCR also raised concerns that the analysis done by private firms was sometimes so poor that NHS radiologists had to read scans again, raising questions about the benefit of outsourcing."

"Eight-six per cent of NHS radiology department heads had serious concerns that privatisation results in lower-quality reports, and 90% said NHS radiologists needed to double-check outsourced reports. Increasing NHS reliance on outsourcing in radiology is not sustainable and the costs of this are spiralling out of control, said Dr Stephen Harden, the president of the RCR."

"In the short term, outsourcing can help to manage diagnostic backlogs, but it cannot be a long-term solution to workforce shortages. Clinical radiologists pl"

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