Those of you who were at the Phillips/EBME conference (18th Oct 2006) would have heard SEMTA discussing the medical engineering occupational standards; there are 12 units; 3 compulsary units and a further choice of 3 from 9. Units 60-71.

This is the minimum standard required for all techs working in the field of medical device repair and maintenance.

supprisingly they do emulate Capital Medical's modular training structure Module 1-7 www.cap-medical.co.uk (thought I would get that in...)

If you access the SEMTA website and search the site for 'servicing medical equipment' you will be able to download unit 63-71. to download the compulsary units search for: Unit 60: carrying out fault diagnosis on medical equipment Unit 61: testing medical equipment and finally unit 62 carrying out scheduled servicing on medical equipment. alternatively book your accredited level 3 course maped to the standard via www.cap-medical.co.uk

Robbie,

Here's one for you. One of my techies is at Arborfield at the moment, and he reckons they may be handing out a foundation degree there shortly. After you stop laughing uncontrollably (like I did!), your comments please!

Richie

I don't know what Arborfied is getting upto apart from preparing to close down in prepartion for a move to a new location in the not to distant future. The problem Military techs have, is retaining hands on experience when not deployed, once Royal Hospital Haslar disapears, their work becomes very limited, Its a great shame as it will be when Arborfied closes its doors, quite a number of cuyrrent techies employed within NHS came through that school at one time or another.

Well having been in MDSS for 8 years, and just got an MSc in Clinical Engineering, my lot thought it a good career move for me to go back to communications for my next job! Did you hear the F**K OFF all the way up there in Kidderminster?? Out next month, like so many others.

I thought the Arborfield course would have been lurked by a quality organisation like your good selves by now! How Dave "Hale & Pace" Everliegh getting on?

Well having been in MDSS for 8 years, done oodles of extra training (with you lot amongst others as I'm sure you'll remember!) and just got an MSc in Clinical Engineering, my inspired military appointers thought it a good career move for me to go back to communications for my next job! Did you hear the F**K OFF all the way up there in Kidderminster?? Out next month, like so many others.

I thought the Arborfield course would have been lurked by a quality organisation like your good selves by now! How Dave "Hale & Pace" Everleigh getting on?

Welcome to the real world, Snowler. You are lucky to have received all that extra training, Mate (didn’t happen back in my day). But don't worry, there remains plenty of work about if you're not too fussy and willing to actually work.

Good luck. Geoff (ex-M&D 39, Arborfield, 1974 - back in the good old days, that is).

I'm already set up mate thanks. Can't wait to get started!

OK ... four years on ...


SEMTA ... does anyone have any news on all that?


I hear that the once renowned "Arborfield Course" is run by civvies these days. I also hear that (how shall I put it?) the format has changed considerably. In fact, recent attendees have been less than impressed, as it were.

Anyone like to comment on that?

Pity that we don't hear from Snowler very often these days.

Hi folks. As I've said to Geoff in a private post, I can confirm that the course these days is run by civilians. Now, I don't have a problem with that. The problem I have is that they haven't the faintest idea what they are on about.

Leaving aside the shocking standard of the course material (some equipment precis are two pages long!) and their general lack of knowledge of their subject, their total lack of knowledge on the issues 'out there' is inexcusable. They have three military units within twenty minutes drive (a field hospital, a medical regiment and the Defence Dental School) yet when asked why we don't go and visit them I was told "I didn't think of that". That's the standard of people who are teaching there at the moment. Google is their source of info for questions they don't know the answer to.

In fact, probably most worrying of all, they are under the impression that we don't take equipment to pieces 'in the field'.

The course is so bad that, on arrival, the RAF M&D techs are told to just forget everything they have been told at Arborfield. A sad situation for a course run by the Army's centre of excellence for electronics training.

Basically I think it says a lot about the adaptability of our technicians that we are able to do the job despite, rather than because of the training we receive.

Meant to say on arrival at RAF Henlow for my RAF techs comment. They go there for a while for continuation training.