What Happens If You Don’t Get an NHS Band 5 Radiography Job After Qualifying?
I’m due to qualify as a therapeutic radiographer in May 2026 from a London university, and I wanted to ask for some honest insight. For those who either personally studied therapeutic radiography in the UK, or know someone who did but didn’t secure an NHS Band 5 role after qualifying — what did they go on to do? I’m not being pessimistic; I’m just trying to understand alternative pathways given the current job market. From what I can see, London alone has three universities offering the course (LSBU, St George’s, and City), with roughly 20–30 students per cohort. That means around 60–90 graduates competing annually, not including applicants from outside London who also apply here. At the same time, there are a limited number of radiotherapy centres in London (e.g. Guy’s, UCLH, Barts, Royal Marsden, Mount Vernon, etc.), and based on current NHS Jobs/Trac listings, vacancies seem quite limited. Typically, departments may only recruit one or two Band 5s per cycle. I’m also aware of recent graduates who are still seeking roles due to the level of competition, which makes the situation feel even tighter for upcoming cohorts. Relocation is an option, of course, but even then, opportunities appear competitive nationwide. I’ve also looked into the private sector (e.g. HCA, Genesis, etc), but most roles seem to start at Band 6, making that route less accessible for new graduates.
So I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has navigated this situation — what realistic alternatives are there if an NHS Band 5 post isn’t secured immediately after qualifying?