Assessment of workforce availability, staffing, and education, and training requirements for radiographers across Europe as part of EU-REST project

Abstract

Introduction: The European Union Radiation, Education, Staffing and Training (EU-REST) project assessed workforce availability of professionals involved in medical applications of ionising radiation across European Union (EU) Member States. It developed guidelines for staffing, education and training to ensure radiation safety and quality in medical practices. This paper focuses on the current status of workforce availability, education and training requirements of radiographers across the 27 EU Member States. Methods: A multi-phase survey was employed, consisting of a pre-survey and a main survey. The presurvey gathered information from relevant national authorities and professional bodies, followed by the main survey distributed to these bodies to complete across all Member States. The survey covered workforce availability, staffing levels, workforce planning, education and training, and quality and safety. Data were cleaned and analysed to focus on radiographers' workforce statistics, education and training in countries that completed the relevant section of the survey. Results: The study found significant variation in radiographer workforce availability, with a total of 171,306 working radiographers across Europe. The number of radiographers per million inhabitants ranged from 86 (Belgium) to 613 (Finland). About 7 % of radiographers were expected to retire in the next five years, with some countries facing higher projections. Variations in education systems, workforce distribution, and radiation protection practices were observed. Conclusion: There is a need for harmonisation of how workforce data is collected and reported across Member States. Establishing centralised registries and standardised data collection methods is crucial for improving workforce management and ensuring radiation safety in medical settings. Implications for practice: Unless coordinated actions are taken to address issues related to the radiography workforce, staffing levels, and associated education and training, optimal standards will remain unattainable.