Introduction Radiographers and radiation therapists are key patient‐facing health practitioners supporting the delivery of optimal patient care during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The aim of this research was to investigate the impact of COVID‐19 on clinical service delivery and well‐being of these healthcare professionals in Australia. Methods A cross‐sectional online survey of Australian radiographers and radiation therapists was conducted in June–July 2020. The survey collected data on demographic characteristics, and the impact of COVID‐19 on professional practice, infection control and workplace‐related stress. Results A total of 218 responses were received. Changes in work hours ( P < 0.001) and workload ( P = 0.022) were experienced due to COVID‐19. Diagnostic radiographers reported increased procedural pressure on mobile radiography, computed tomography and general radiography. For radiation therapists, most pressure included areas of simulation and linear accelerator. PPE was in short supply at the start of the pandemic, and at the time of the study, shortages were identified for all PPE items. There was no difference in PPE supply reported by diagnostic radiographers and radiation therapists except for hand sanitiser ( P = 0.003). Respondents experienced increased personal stress (61.4%) and anxiety (58.2%) at work due to COVID‐19. In addition, their work caused increased stress to their family, partners or friends (57.4%). Conclusions COVID‐19 has resulted in changes to clinical working patterns and service delivery. PPE shortages, as well as increased workplace‐related stress, were identified. Workplaces should seek to mitigate the pandemic impact through the provision of adequate PPE for safe practice as well as implement strategies to support and enhance staff well‐being.

No abstract

Introduction Worldwide, reports and experiences indicate that there has been extensive re-organisation within diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy departments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was necessary due to changes in workload and working practice guidelines that have evolved during the pandemic. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on radiography practice, service delivery and workforce wellbeing. Methods A systematic review methodology was adopted to obtain data from primary studies of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods designs from databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL], and SCOPUS: all 2020 to present). The included articles were subjected to information extraction and results-based convergent synthesis. Results The electronic database search yielded 10,420 articles after removal of duplicates. Of these, 31 articles met the final inclusion criteria with some (n = 8) fully focussed on radiotherapy workforce and service delivery. The pandemic impact on radiography practice is broadly themed around: training, communication, and information dissemination; infrastructure, technology, and clinical workflow; and workforce mental health and well-being. Conclusion Globally, most radiographers received inadequate training for managing COVID-19 patients during the initial acute phase of the pandemic. Additionally, there were significant changes to clinical practice, working patterns and perceived increase in workload due to surges in COVID-19 patients and the consequent strict adherence to new infection protocols. These changes, coupled with fear emanating from the increased risk of the workforce to contracting the infection, contributed to anxiety and workplace-related stress during the pandemic. Implications for practice Local pandemic response strategies must be appropriately developed from standard protocols in readiness for safe clinical practice and well-being management training of practitioners.

No abstract

No abstract