RADIOGRAPHERS in England took to picket lines today to launch their 48-hour strike action as worrying numbers of staff are leaving the profession.

Members of the Society of Radiographers (SoR) voted to reject a 5 per cent government pay award and called for talks to reopen after other public-sector workers, including junior doctors, were offered more.

Speaking outside the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey, therapeutic radiographer Ashley d’Aquino, 43, said: “We’re on strike because the government have not engaged with [SoR].

“We have spoken to them, our society has spoken to them, about the issues with recruitment and retention.

“It’s only getting worse, people are leaving because of burnout.

“We just want them to start engaging a little bit more and working with the different unions to address these issues.”

Members of the public showed their support as they drove past where Ms d’Aquino stood, with one driver saying: “Thank you for everything you do.”

Other drivers honked their horns as they passed.

The strike involves the 37 NHS trusts where members have a mandate to strike, including the University College London Hospitals, Liverpool University Hospitals, Nottingham University Hospitals, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.

Union representatives from each trust have agreed staff will provide “life and limb” emergency cover for patients, which usually means the same staffing levels as Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

SoR chief executive Richard Evans said from the King’s College Hospital picket line that his members are on strike because they want to see better conditions for their patients, not just themselves.

He said: “Pay has not risen fast enough for radiographers over many, many years — we’ve had real-terms pay cuts since 2008.

“And consequently, people are leaving the profession to do other jobs which pay more and are easier.

“Over the same period, the NHS in general has been neglected by the government — there is not enough funding for all sorts of patient services.

“It’s why the public is supporting us so loudly today — because they know the NHS is under huge pressure and in danger.”

A million people are currently waiting for radiography services.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said that the pay award was final and urged the union to call off the strike.