Taskforce urges action on screening workforce

A major report launched today by the Women’s Cancer Screening Taskforce has issued a clear call to Government and NHS leaders: prioritise investment in the workforce behind breast and cervical cancer screening to deliver earlier diagnoses and improve outcomes for women across the UK.

The Taskforce, which includes senior NHS clinicians, national programme leaders and professional bodies, warns that persistent workforce shortages, slow adoption of digital tools and barriers to screening access are placing the cancer screening system under significant strain.

Key findings

The report identifies three critical areas where action is needed:

• Accelerating adoption of innovation
  Outdated processes are slowing the integration of proven technologies such as digital cytology and AI. The Taskforce calls for clear timescales for technology approvals, protected time for clinicians to train, and reforms to medical education that embed digital and AI skills alongside traditional diagnostic methods.
• Strengthening the workforce
  With 30% of clinical radiologist roles unfilled and burnout widespread, the report highlights the need for structured career development, national promotion of apprenticeships and non-degree pathways, and long-term workforce planning that is resilient to political cycles.
• Improving equitable access
  Missed appointments, particularly among women from low-income and ethnic minority backgrounds, delay diagnoses and widen health inequalities. The Taskforce recommends ringfenced funding for NHS partnerships with trusted local organisations, a national campaign on early diagnosis, and investment in interoperable IT systems to identify and reach underserved groups.

The recommendations

Among its ten recommendations, the Taskforce urges:

• A national public health campaign focused on the importance of early cancer diagnosis, co-designed with communities and informed by behavioural insights.
• Dedicated funding to support NHS Trusts to work with local community organisations to deliver culturally sensitive outreach.
• Clear timelines for screening technology assessments and approvals, to ensure patients and clinicians have access to the best available tools without delay.
• Protected time in clinicians’ job plans for training, research and professional development, applied consistently across NHS Trusts.

The Taskforce’s message

The report concludes that supporting the cancer screening workforce is essential to delivering timely, accurate diagnoses and improving women’s health. It calls for leadership, investment and accountability to ensure screening services are modern, equitable and fit for the future.

You can read the full report here: Empowering the hidden heroes behind every diagnosis