20th May 2026
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust has been taking a global approach to developing its radiology workforce.
Like many other specialties throughout health and social care across Northern Ireland and the UK, the Trust’s radiology services have been facing workforce challenges.
The Royal College of Radiologists has predicted that by 2029 there could be a 41% shortfall in radiologists in Northern Ireland, if no action is taken to recruit and retain the workforce – the worst shortage in the UK.
With such competition for jobs locally, the Trust’s medical radiology team led the way by engaging with an international recruitment agency early 2023 to appoint three consultant posts.
Given their success, the organisation embarked on a broader recruitment exercise to Mumbai in September 2023. A total of 70 doctors were appointed across a range of grades and specialties, in Daisy Hill and Craigavon Area Hospital, including general surgery, emergency medicine, urology, gynaecology orthopaedics and a further three in radiology.
Four radiology doctors appointed through this campaign have successfully completed the GMC portfolio pathway demonstrating the national standard required to be eligible to apply for consultant roles and three have since secured permanent positions with the team. Another two doctors are now working through this process.
Southern Trust Clinical Director for Radiology, Dr Imran Yousuf, who was involved in the exercise says: “International recruitment has been a key avenue in addressing our resource issues, helping to stabilise services and ensuring that we can continue to deliver safe and effective care for patients.
“Our international colleagues, take part in a specially designed programme, ensuring a smooth transition into the HSC. It includes training within their specialty areas and pastoral support to help them with practical issues and get acquainted with their new community.
“Huge thanks to HR, medical, support staff and all the teams across all departments who give our overseas doctors such a warm welcome and work hard to help them settle into work and life in the Southern Trust.
“These doctors are highly skilled, enthusiastic and make an invaluable contribution to our medical workforce.
“Having invested so much time and effort to set up a career and life with us, it has been greatly beneficial to both the doctors and the organisation to support them through the portfolio programme to help them establish a longer-term future as consultants with the Southern Trust, ultimately for the benefit of our patients.”
-ENDS-
Photo caption:
Some of the Southern Trust Consultant Radiology team l-r Dr Ismail Yasrab, Dr Rahul Ninan, Dr Ryan Connolly, Dr Richard McConville, Dr Philip McGarry, Director for Radiology, Dr Imran Yousuf, Dr Harsh Shah, Lorraine Hynds, Interim Head of Diagnostics, Dr Ashish Aravind, Dr Bhoir Bhagayshree.