The strategy sets out our vision, mission and key objectives and priorities which are crucial to ensuring a sustainable diagnostic workforce and long-term future growth of imaging services in the West Midlands’ region.

Purpose of this policy is to provide information to the member organisations of the network’s governance arrangements. A robust structure, as demonstrated below, ensures there is a framework for monitoring risk, implementing changes and driving work programmes.

The strategy sets out our vision, mission and key objectives and priorities which are crucial to ensuring a sustainable diagnostic workforce and long-term future growth of imaging services in the West Midlands’ region.

The West Midlands Imaging Network’s Workforce Workplan is a strategic document that is aimed at addressing the workforce challenges within imaging across the West Midlands region. By analysing current vacancy rates, demand, and capacity plans, and implementing comprehensive strategies, we aim to strengthen the workforce, ensuring that the region’s healthcare needs are met with efficiency, accuracy, and compassion. Through collaborative efforts, we envision a future where the imaging workforce thrives, contributing significantly to improved patient outcomes and overall healthcare excellence.

The WMIN annual reports describe the key achievements from across the year.

Purpose of this policy is to provide information to the member organisations of the network’s governance arrangements. A robust structure, as demonstrated below, ensures there is a framework for monitoring risk, implementing changes and driving work programmes.

This document outlines the West Midlands Imaging Network’s Current Operating Model. A Current Operating Model describes how an organisation is set up to deliver its goals via a clear structure.

A review of specific region challenges within imaging has been completed and we have found that 2 of our ICBs have the highest percentage of people living in deprivation in England. The historical need for change is highlighted clearly along with current data for workforce, patient flows, digital flows and assets. Exploring the network’s Current Operating Model has enabled us to define the issues and challenges our Trusts are experiencing as well as discover specific concerns in our region.

According to IPEM Workforce Reports, Medical Physics staffing is below safe levels. To add to this, imaging departments are experiencing expansion through the establishment of Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs). The CDC initiatives aim to tackle the waiting lists that have been increasing in size since the 2020 pandemic. In addition, the increasing complexity of treatments and therapies also require increasing involvements from the Medical Physics workforce. The impact on the Medical Physics workforce is reflected by the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan which estimates training needs to increase by 13% by 2028/2029 and more than 30% by 2031/32. New and creative methods of training will be needed to address this challenge to the Medical Physics workforce

Almost four years after the first Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) radiology report was published, the West Midlands Imaging Network (WMIN) alongside the Trusts, undertook a review of how the 15 Trusts within the West Midlands Imaging Network have implemented these recommendations. In the original report, Trusts within the network were highlighted as carrying out examples of good practice, including the Radiographer-led discharge in Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, and the Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB) collaborative approach for delivering interventional radiology services.

The survey identified a wide variance in uptake of the recommendations across the network, with no recommendation yet fully implemented in the region. WMIN found areas where even changes at a relatively small cost had not been implemented despite there being proven significant impact on improving efficiency. This included providing dedicated admin support to Radiologists for MDTM planning. Whilst the recommendations are based on visits from 5 years ago, the vast majority are still relevant to service improvement today and have been backed up by more recent guidance from professional bodies and NHS England reports. In 2024, Trusts will undergo another round of visits from GIRFT reviewers, with a focus on interventional radiology this time. At the same time, the GIRFT team will also visit imaging networks.