Senior Engineer - Medical Engineering, AfC Band 7 (subject to qualifications and experience).

NHS Jobs ref: 384-OB-029 closing date for applications 24/11/2010.

For this post, the holder must be experienced as well as possessing an Engineering HND or if not experienced must possess BSc/BEng in Electronic or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent engineering qualification.

Professional registration (Eng Tech / I Eng) is a requirement and although not essential, Registration on the VRCT is desirable.

Operating from the workshop based at The Royal Surrey County Hospital, the Electronics & Medical Engineering Department manages a wide variety of Biomedical equipment & devices. This includes acceptance testing, servicing, repair and delivery of medical equipment.

The successful candidates will have a good knowledge of electrical and electronic or mechanical engineering theory coupled with a logical approach to fault finding on complex equipment as well as excellent IT skills.

The ability to build and develop excellent relationships with Clinical Colleagues, Suppliers, Contractors and others is of paramount importance in this busy, varied and rewarding role.

Current knowledge of regulatory issues affecting medical equipment and/or experience in its service and maintenance is highly desirable as is some experience of delivering user training in equipment or devices.

For further information & to arrange an informal ‘look around’ please contact

Mr Garrith Jenner
EME Department Manager
01483 464068
or
gjenner@nhs.net

This sounds good and right up my street, Garrith. It's just a pity I'm going to be in my present job for the next four years. Shame, though I don't imagine, especially in the present economic climate, that you'll be short of applicants.

A pity? Don't you mean "fortunate that"?

By that time, no doubt you will have picked up some nous about some of the realities surrounding the NHS, Jocky. Yes, there will be plenty of applicants ... but how many* will be suited to the post?

You may not be aware that, once in post, it's very difficult to be rid of an NHS employee if they turn out to be ... er, disappointing.

As I've already said, you're far better off as you are, Mate.

Meanwhile (Garrith), I don't see any salary figure mentioned.

* Hint:- very few, if any.

Geoff this is the post I mentioned earlier in the current vacancies thread I believe its this one http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/showvac/uEv15_/900877/912572038 .

It's also band 7 so since the NHS actually publish their pay scales you should be able to work the salary out (although it's published on that link)

All I can say is that Garrith must really appreciate his staff, quite a lot of other trusts would have advertised this post as a band 6! I don't want to relocate but if I could hook up the Royal Surrey County Hospital and drag it to Bristol even I'd apply for it.

As for the number of applicants, advertising at this level I'd imaging that their going to be swamped with applications and therefore suspect they don't experience employees being er, disappointing

"AfC Band 7" could be a troupe of performing seals for all the Rest of the World knows! But, there again, they're not going to have much of an idea what £ 31,983 to £ 41,773 pa inc actually relates to either, I suppose.

Regarding Garrith's apparent generosity ... I notice that this position comes under "Estates". Any clues there, then?

Hopefully Garrith will indeed be inundated with applicants of quality and finally end up with the Senior Engineer of his dreams.

Perhaps he will be back on here in a few weeks to let us all know how he got on.

How much is left in your pocket after taxes and everything else?

No, under NHS Agenda for Change estates departments didn't do very good, usually clinical engineering departments or departments attached to medical physics do better (not always thought)just nice to see a department offering a decent salary.

How can that be the case? Same job, same pay? Perhaps someone can explain.

And (whilst we're on that point), can someone explain as well why some biomeds still come under "Estates" at all? My own guess would be:- historical reasons. That is, back in the early days (and in older hospitals) many biomed "departments" were started off by some lucky electrician in the Works Department (as they may have been known at the time).

It seems to me a pity that AfC didn't sort all that out whilst they were at it!

Geoff AfC job evaluations are based on this document now section 6 covers patient care, just imaging what a chippy is going to get graded on this, EBME jobs still manage to pick up points on this, a consistency check should be performed, but it does seem that you stand a better chance of a higher band if the rest of the department didn't get a pay cut. It's been pointed out in other newsleters that it happens if the manager is a clinical scientist and the estates manager isn't.

Geoff re the difficulty getting rid of staff who are not up to it. That is exactly the same perception which is held for civil servants, hence the joke 'What do civil servants and an SA80 have in common? They don't work and you can't fire them'. However, if the NHS is like the civil service in the disciplinary respect then you may find it is far easier to get rid of them than many think. My wife (who is a civil servant) says you can get rid of someone in next to no time. Obviously I may be wrong but from my (limited) experience you do tend to find there are systems in place for dealing with such situations. I'd have thought that these were the same across the public sector. Again I may be wrong.

You are, I'm afraid (as far as the NHS goes, at least).

Happily, it's not my business to "get rid of people"; but I believe that it's true to say (and yes, I could cite examples from my own experiences) that "certain groups" are pretty well *bullet proof within the NHS (if you catch my drift).

Don't worry, Mate ... you've got four years in which to learn. In fact, I look forward to hearing about how you regard all this after that time!

Meanwhile, seeing that you mentioned it (and others may not be aware) - here is one take on the SA80 story (the short version being:- "you get what you pay for").

* 5.56 mm or any other!

Jocky, once you have completed the 4 years in Cyprus you may join quite a few of us who never want to return to the UK for living and work purposes again (holidays yes) once you get used to the warm weather and different working conditions fitting back in becomes very difficult.

Agreed

(not even for holidays)

"Fitting back in" ... why would you want to?

It seems everyone likes to 'bag' the UK, it seems to be a national passtime!

Every country has it's issues social and financial, and you'd have to be pretty naive to believe everything the media pumps out, the media has it's own agenda.

Being an expat for just over 2 years has given me a different prespective, it's the easiest thing in the world to focus on the negatives of a country.
It takes a bit more wisdom and foresight to see through the surface and what is really on offer.

Dom

"What is really on offer" ... what are you talking about, Dom ... Sainsbury's?

Personally speaking (and for what it's worth), I was born here, Mate (and not yesterday, either). It's my place. You know, where and what my forebears lived and died for. I have nowhere else to go. But I don't take anything, whether it's "on offer", or not. I simply stand aside, observe, and then lend a hand when and where I can.

I have also spent over half my working life outside of the UK. Naïve? Hardly. So I don't need any lectures, thank you very much.

Some of us just want our country back. Is that too much to hope for?

Anyway (seeing that you sound so homesick), when are you coming back? You know, just to see what's on offer?

I'm with Dom on this. I look around at what's going on in other parts of the world and ask myself,"Are things REALLY that bad?" Of course not. Pah, doom-mongers the lot! I'm looking forward to getting back to the UK and will fully embrace it when the time comes.

We're getting off topic now, so I don't want to prolong this "debate" too much. But you are a young bloke, Jocky. And one who speaks from within the relatively insulated world of HM Forces. Remember, Mate, that I've been there too.

Comparisons with the [censored]-holes of the world just don't cut the mustard, I'm afraid. There was a time when the UK was indeed the "best country in the world" (and it may still be). But by now it should be "paradise on earth", but it is not.

Regrettably, ours is a Kingdom divided. And one of the sharpest divisions in our society, and one which has grown progressively wider since the 1960's, is between the liberal intelligentsia and the rest of us. Unfortunately, their voices are the ones which are most influential and most welcome in the broadcast media (ie, those who daily make it clear to us what they think our values should be).

Those of us who remember the 1950's can but stand and weep. Unfortunately, short of illegal activities, every other avenue to improve the situation is denied us. In short, we are expected to "put up and shut up" (and keep on paying the taxes).

It was Remembrance Sunday today, and (as always) it was a privilege to stand among the decent folk of England. But only a fool would deny that there are many other inhabitants of this Sceptred (but over-crowded) Isle who not only never show respect at gatherings such as these, but also do all they can to undermine our traditional British way of life. Yet we have to tolerate them (by force of law). What do we gain from their "contribution"? Whatever it is, I for one can surely manage very well without it.

In addition we have millions of folk who expect others to pay for their "life-style choices" (the main one being their "right" not to work). There are also angry, aggressive, people wherever you go. Generally in a great tearing rush (getting nowhere fast). In short - a lot of unhappy bunnies. Why is that, I wonder?

I could go on, but will end there.

Meanwhile, the lucky ones escape to a better life in places like Australia. Why do you think they do that, Jocky?

Just to answer a few points that this vacancy & its pay banding has raised.
Yes - this EME department was created back in the mid to late '70s by the Regional Health Authority (SW Thames), since then we have been devolved to Surrey Area Health Authority, SW Surrey District Health Authority, a Mental Health Unit (I can hear the comments now !) & finally, since 1990 The District General Hospital - aka The Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Originally we were MTO's, then District Works officers, now Estates Officers. History lesson over !

Agenda for change wasn't very kind to many of Clinical Technologists , however, the National profiles were there to be 'honed' & 'amended', JAQ's were agreed by independant panels & the support from our Management in Estates was forthcoming & so rewarded by 'higher than average' bandings.

It may well be that, other Management teams were not so enlightened or the business case wasn't strong enough to reward their EME teams - I have no idea.

No doubt the number of applications will be high, but quality is paramount together with the actual ability to get the job done, with the minimum of 'agro' for all concerned is what we're looking for.

Take care y'all

Well, for good or bad, come what may, I am looking forward to a 'normal' life whichever avenue I go down. Ideally that'll be in Scotland (I love the rain!) but I realise that that will be work dependent. Bring it on!

I reckon that I could still hack four years at Akrotiri, Jocky.

Fancy setting up a swap?

Only two years, possibly three here then wherever they send me after that. Time will tell. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it out here. The variety of equipment I'm getting to see is superb but I'm looking forward to a 'normal' life when the time comes.

Arborfield beckons!

Look me up when you finally make good your escape, Jocky. Then I can show you lots of kit that's less than "superb" (the de facto default condition out in the Real World). And don't forget that I shall be looking for volunteers to staff Neil & Geoff's Biomed Boot-Camp (School for Practical Technicians).

As I say, Mate ... enjoy it all whilst you can!

Meanwhile, I have a nice T-shirt here that says "If You Think You Are Normal - You Must Be Mad"! I got that one from some NHS Mental Health Unit, or other.

Been there, done that, but never bought a T-shirt.

Arborfield, the MHU ... or the Boot-Camp?

No!! around the world !!