Two new X-ray radiologistsappointed

The appointments were revealed at a meeting of the Western Trust Board in February.

Both the recruitment of radiologists and the use of locums generally have been issues in the Western Trust in the recent past.

During the disastrous X-ray backlog at Altnagelvin in 2010 when four cancer patients had to be recalled and at least two patients later died after 18,500 X-rays (including 3,400 chest X-rays) could not be completed within a 28 days agreed standard, just seven permanent radiology staff were left struggling with the outstanding films.

At the time the Trust was reliant on locum doctors to approach its desired complement of 13.5 filled radiology posts and by February 2010 was down to just seven permanent staff.

And in 2010/11 the cost of expensive locum cover in the Western Trust accounted for almost 17 per cent (£9m) of medical staffing expenditure - double the Northern Ireland average and the highest locum bill in the province.