The impact of working patterns on therapeutic radiographers' experience of work-life balance: A qualitative study at a cancer treatment centre in Wales

Allan, S., Courtier, N. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6098-5882 and Mundy, L. 2025. The impact of working patterns on therapeutic radiographers' experience of work-life balance: A qualitative study at a cancer treatment centre in Wales. Radiography 31 (3) , 102951. 10.1016/j.radi.2025.102951

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Abstract

Introduction Current and projected demand for NHS radiotherapy services outstrips projected capacity. One solution to increase treatment capacity seen in UK radiotherapy centres has been to adapt the treatment hours and working patterns of therapeutic radiographers. This study explores radiographers’ experiences of the impact of working extended treatment hours on their work-life balance and wellbeing. Method Eligible Radiographers were employed in a substantive NHS AfC Band 6 Therapeutic Radiographer role. A descriptive qualitative design utilising semi-structured interviews allowed participants freedom to reflect upon individual experiences. The interview schedule and process were piloted before data collection in October 2023. Anonymised data were analysed using content analysis. Results Six participants were recruited. Our findings reveal different outlooks between radiographers of different ages, life-stage, personal circumstances and caring responsibilities. The importance for work-life balance of non-working weekends and flexibility, reliability and predictability of shift scheduling were common categories. There was concern that further changes to working patterns would lead to diminished work-life balance and wellbeing. As Radiographers’ priorities regarding work-life balance were dynamic, agency to easily adapt working hours was seen as the ideal. Conclusion Opportunities to flexibly adapt working hours to suit personal circumstances are viewed as key to maintaining a healthy and rewarding work-life balance. Our findings reveal a desire for more openness to adaptation requests and highlight the need for future research into the transparency of parity between request grounds and the competing needs of services and the individual. Implications for practice Poor work-life balance risks burnout in TRs, with consequent retention issues and lower quality patient care.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Healthcare Sciences
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	1078-8174
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	24 April 2025
Date of Acceptance:	31 March 2025
Last Modified:	28 Apr 2025 12:42
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/177894

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