Radiographers to strike with junior doctors and consultants in triple-hit aimed at Tory conference

RADIOGRAPHERS are to join consultants and junior doctors on strike in a triple strike against the Conservative conference.

The X-ray specialists will leave their site on October 3, coinciding with the Tory Party’s annual rally.

1

Senior Tories claim the coordinated action on wages was deliberately timed to have maximum impact on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s first conference as leader.

Brendan Clarke-Smith said: “This is another politically motivated union strike.

“It has nothing to do with putting patients first or helping to reduce NHS waiting lists.”

He called on all three unions to “think again, accept the government’s generous wage agreement and call off the strikes.”

Up to 20,000 radiologists – who perform X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds and radiotherapy – will strike for 24 hours.

They also went away for two days in July.

Junior doctors and consultants will be out for three days from October 2, despite the NHS waiting list reaching a record 7.6 million, with a million of those needing to be scanned.

More than 900,000 appointments were canceled due to strikes.

The Society of Radiographers says the pay rise offered of five per cent plus £1,655 is “inadequate” compared to the 6.5 per cent for other public sector workers.

Spokesman Dean Rogers said the strike was not an “easy decision.”

He said radiography specialists provide high-quality care “despite the fact that they work long hours and their pay has been below average wages for years.”