i have to agree with everything roy has said,i see no need for registration on the terms at present, and i dont buy the pay and conditions argument either,agenda for change sorts out pay etc. going down this path could see us become uncompetative.

This then leads us on to the question of who regulates the quality of work and technicians from oputside compnies.
If this register is for patient safety reasons, should the service techs from companies not have to be registered as well so the bad ones can be removed?
This will then level the playing field.
Will wholely outsourced departments have to have registered techs the same as NHS ones?
I have asked these questions before and there does not seem to be an answer. Does this mean no-one has thought about this, it has been ignored or there has been a slip-up in the planning of the register? Or have the companies thrown their weight around as they realise this may be a costly exercise for them?
I would worry if a tech was struck off the register, could only get employment through a company and then came back in the hospital to service kit.
Robert
Robert

I am under the impression that once we are registered as a profession, if it is a requirement to be registered in order to carry out the job function, then this will apply across the board.

As with other professions, it should not make any difference who you work for, you still need to be registered in order to practice.

There has been so much debate on this issue that perhaps I have missed the answers to these questions:- 1) Who is going to “police” this system? 2) Who is going to “allow” private firms to service equipment, and how are such businesses to be “evaluated and monitored”? 3) Are we going to see individuals and firms “struck-off” the register? And what sort of "offence" would justify such an action, and 4) How would offenders be able to gain re-instatement?

Probably enough to be going on with for now, methinks.

On point 2
As I said before I feel all service techs whether they work privately or for the NHS or for multi Nationals such as GE should all be on the official register. This causes problems if the multinational company techs haven’t got the relevant certs. And are allowed to dictate terms e.g.. “Only we can repair this equipment” the government should lay down guidelines.
Trusts should have Equal rights to circuit diagrams and parts etc. and if not the company should be removed from the master indemnity register.
That way all of our techs in hospitals will have the level playing field needed to get better conditions and pay with out fear of being under cut financially.
All the large companies will be able to get some one struck off if his work is not up to standard and that does away with most of their case for not supplying.
But who enforces as Geoff says in point 1 and 3.

I have got to admit although I tend to sit on the fence a lot and put constructive criticisms in for both sides, I strongly feel for patient sake we should all be accountable individually but competent techs shouldn’t be hindered by bureaucracy techs should be registered by the “ prove it” method. Not by bits of paper. I know some techs that are very intimidated by formal written tests etc., but are among some of the best techs you’ll ever see.

Sorry guys, but am I missing something here? Isn’t everybody accountable (for his or her actions) always and anyway (or have things changed more than even I could imagine during my absence from our Sceptred Isle)?

And, by the way, what are all those managers doing, if not taking responsibility for their people? Surely even the mighty NHS must have a way of “letting-go” incompetent technicians (and, for that matter, incompetent managers)?

And do all these “service companies” habitually employ a load of idiots, then? I was always under the impression (misguided, obviously) that factory-trained service engineers were the “bright boys”, and us first-line types the (how should I put it?) “others”.

But you’ve made an old man very happy, Mr. Leonius, but advocating registration by the “prove it” method. Sounds like a call to “technician values” to me. So perhaps I haven’t been wrong all these years after all!

I thought the NHS did not get rid of anybody.

You promote them out the way and then get some else to do the job.

A.M

I was once told by a wise man “everyone is promoted to his or her level; of incompetence”
Another words if your good at your job you will promoted onward and upward until you are piss poor at your job
This obviously doesn’t apply to Tech’s as good techs are held back because they are to honest and call a spade a spade, incompetent bosses can’t take criticism.