Colleagues have paid tribute to Dr Giles Maskell OBE, the programme’s clinical lead for radiology, as he leaves the role after almost eight years with GIRFT.
Giles, a consultant radiologist at the Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust, joined GIRFT in 2018 as a clinical advisor supporting Dr Kath Halliday. He became the clinical lead of the workstream in 2022 after Kath left GIRFT to preside as president of the Royal College of Radiologists.
Together, they reviewed more than 140 radiology units across England, ahead of publishing the GIRFT national report for radiology in November 2020. The report made a series of 20 recommendations to help teams meet the increasing demand on radiology units in England, at the same time as shaping a better service for those who use it. Measures included online booking and extended hours for outpatient appointments, dedicated day case units or beds for patients having interventional radiology procedures, and increasing the amount of home reporting.
As GIRFT clinical lead for radiology, Giles went on to develop key guidance and support radiology colleagues nationally with implementing the national report recommendation and other improvement work.
Kath Halliday said:
“Giles has worked tirelessly to highlight and address the issues faced by imaging departments, and has facilitated real improvements for patients, always with wisdom, humour and empathy for staff. He has been a great GIRFT clinical lead and he will be missed.”
Giles has been a consultant radiologist in Truro since 1991 and was previously president of the Royal College of Radiologists from 2013-2016. He has particular interests in radiological error and in building and maintaining a healthy culture in radiology departments.
In June 2023 he was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in The King’s Birthday Honours List, recognising his services to diagnostic radiology.
Professor Tim Briggs, GIRFT programme lead and NHS England National Director for Clinical Improvement, Elective Recovery and UEC, said:
“Radiology services are vital to almost every specialty in the NHS to ensure patients receive high-quality, effective and timely diagnostics to advise treatment. As such, Giles’ work leading this workstream and supporting diagnostics colleagues nationally has been critical and has undoubtedly made a significant difference to patient care.
I’d like to thank him personally for his hard work and dedication to the specialty throughout the eight years he has been with the programme.”
Giles said:
“It has been a pleasure and an honour to contribute to the GIRFT programme over the past few years. Any credit for our achievements belongs to the whole team who have worked tirelessly to support and improve NHS imaging services.”
