Subjecting migrants to X-rays and MRI scans to check how old they are is ... trends now
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Subjecting migrants to X-rays and MRI scans to assess their age is inaccurate, unethical and risks increasing NHS waiting times, radiographers claim.
New laws came into force in January that allow the Home Office to use X-rays of wrists and teeth, and MRI scans of thighs and collarbones to establish whether a migrant is under-16.
Then Home Secretary Priti Patel described the practice of adult men 'masquerading as children' as an 'appalling abuse of our system' when she announced plans for the new checks in 2022.
She warned the men were using 'deception and deceit' to gain access to children's services and schools, where they place genuine pupils 'at risk'.
But the Society of Radiographers' UK Council will today ask delegates at its annual conference in Leeds to oppose the legislation, arguing that the risk of conducting these scans on migrants is far greater than the threat of an adult being treated as a child.
The Home Office to uses X-rays of wrists and teeth, and MRI scans of thighs and collarbones to establish whether a migrant is under the age of 16
Radiographers typically carry out X-rays, MRI and CT scans to help diagnose health issues, with a shortage of staff and scanners contributing to long NHS waits and treatment delays.
Using the equipment to assess migrants is controversial, with critics saying the results are inaccurate and the process unethical and potentially illegal.
The British Dental Association is among those to oppose the checks, branding them 'pseudoscience'.
Richard Evans, chief executive of the Society
