Reflections from UKIO 2026: What the Data is Telling Us
By Dr Annabel Bentley and Dr Struan Wilkie
UKIO never disappoints. It brings together the right people and sparks the conversations that matter. This year, those conversations felt particularly urgent.
There’s a lot happening in diagnostics. Demand continues to grow, the use of AI is accelerating, and services are under real pressure. But one theme came up again and again, in panel discussions, in sessions, and in corridor conversations:
A 29% shortage of radiologists.
This isn’t a background statistic. It’s the issue driving almost everything else. Backlogs, pressure on existing teams, delays that ultimately affect patients.
It’s also where Medica is part of the solution.
Two challenges, one focus
At UKIO, we spoke to NHS leaders about two challenges that sit at the heart of diagnostic performance:
- Radiologist and pathologist workforce shortages
- Patient flow through the diagnostic pathway
At Medica, we partner with NHS trusts to address both. We provide reporting capacity alongside data and insights, helping teams not only manage demand today, but understand where pressures are building and why.
Our flexible global workforce supports trusts to meet variable demand, often more efficiently than they can alone. But capacity on its own is only part of the answer.
Getting to the root of delays
There was strong interest in AI throughout the conference, but the more practical discussion focused on how to improve performance within existing pathways.
The trusts that get the most value from teleradiology aren’t just adding extra reporting capacity. They are using data and insights to understand how patients move through their pathways, particularly in high-pressure areas like Emergency Departments.
Often, the delays aren’t where teams expect. Without clear visibility, it’s difficult to identify the real bottlenecks or make targeted improvements.
What teams are telling us
A number of themes came up consistently in the sessions we attended:
- Limited workflow visibility:
Many teams don’t have a clear, real-time view of where patients are in the pathway. They know delays exist, but the data isn’t easily accessible to operational leaders or frontline clinicians who need to act on it. - A need for context and benchmarking:
Trusts want to understand how they compare to peers and against key performance targets, such as the four-hour ED standard or 18-week RTT pathways. They want to know whether what they’re seeing is unique or part of a wider system challenge. - A shift towards proactive use of data:
Encouragingly, there is growing appetite to move beyond retrospective reporting and use data to get ahead of demand, rather than constantly reacting to it.
Governance as the differentiator
On day two, Dr Struan Wilkie joined the panel discussion on “Teleradiology: State of the Art and Future Challenges”, where governance was a key focus.
His message was clear:
“The biggest thing that teleradiology has is clinical governance. It’s embedded in our culture.”
At Medica, governance is not a compliance exercise. It’s fundamental to how we work. Our clinical audit processes run continuously, and our approach is data-driven. We monitor discrepancy rates across all service lines, at around 5%, and provide structured feedback to radiologists on potential errors, particularly where there is a risk of patient harm. This ongoing feedback loop supports continuous professional development and contributes to quality improvement in a way that is often difficult to replicate within overstretched NHS services. For our NHS partners, this matters. It provides assurance, transparency, and evidence behind the quality of reporting. Data-driven governance is what sets effective teleradiology partnerships apart.
Looking beyond immediate capacity
While capacity is critical, it doesn’t solve the workforce challenge in the long term. That’s why training remains an important part of the conversation. Through Educate by Medica, we provide specialist training for radiologists and radiographers, both in person and online. Because being a genuine partner to the NHS means thinking beyond today’s pressure and investing in the future workforce.
Where we go from here
UKIO is always a valuable moment to step back and reflect. The people in that room, clinicians, service leads, researchers, are working incredibly hard under sustained pressure.
If we can help NHS trusts better understand their data, identify where pathways are under strain, and provide flexible support to manage demand without overburdening existing teams, then we are contributing to the right problems.
And importantly, we are part of the solution.
If any of this resonates, we’d be happy to talk about what data and insights could look like in your trust: datainsights@medica.co.uk