All

Quick straw poll, out of interest as I hold my renewal form in my hand, contemplating wether to fill it in, forgetting all the debate, who's renewed this year?

Regards

Alan

I've renewed Alan. I think its a useful benchmark for EBME staff.

I have done it. Am not sure when the govt will make it compulsory to have that registration.

I've renewed Alan. I feel its important that as many as possible join if we are ever to be seen as a clinical profession

Being able to do your job is a useful benchmark, no matter what club you belong to.

We talk about bench mark. What bench mark are we working to. Seems like if you can say you have been doing the job for years thats good enough. Sorry we all know someone we have worked with that have been doing the job for years and they are still not trusted with sharp instruments. How about looking at the formal qualifications against experience.

We also have to look at what a load of crap has been dumped on nurses due to the wonderful registration. High cost and cock all support. As has been asked before can we have a written guarantee that the price is not going to go up by more than inflation or our wages. Still waiting for that answer.

Why bother with anyone being registered for any profession? Doctors, lawyers, architects, police officers….. If they have been doing the job for a while, that will do for me. Who needs accountability, Minimum standards etc, etc…

Little wonder that other healthcare professional such as physiotherapist, nurses and pathology technicians don’t always see us as equals.

30 years ago I was a TV engineer – it was a job. After almost 30 years of commitment, study and personal development. I for one, and I know I speak for most, clearly see myself and the work I do as every bit as much a profession as any other medical professional.

For those who wish to bury their head in the sand change will come like it or not. Registration at some point will become compulsory as it has for every other medical profession.

Most of the engineering technicians working in healthcare I have ever had the pleasure of knowing have shared your passion, enthusiasm and commitment, David. In my view, it "goes with the turf" as they say.

Personally, I have never noticed any resentment from the other staff in the hospital(s). In fact, in my experience, the usual sentiment has been one of gratitude.

I've also been long enough in the game to have observed (on quite a few occasions) techs who have come into the "trade" and then the next thing you know they think that are medics. I have always "discouraged" that sort of thing myself, largely on ethical grounds (that is, unethical)!

In fact I would argue that we need to distinguish ourselves from the medics, not become more integrated, if only for the sake of not misleading the patients!

You're right that registration may well become compulsory ... that is, forced upon us (but so what ... how about CORGI registered gas engineers?), but even then we shall not become "medical professionals" (or even "clinical technologists"), however much some folk want to dress it up. You claim that you "speak for most", Mate ... but somehow I doubt that.

If that were to be the case, how come there is so much debate about the issue? Why doesn't everyone simply join the Register in eager anticipation (about its benefits) and good grace (believing it to be a "good thing", or whatever)?

Certificates, names on lists, bits of paper and all the rest doesn't make anyone "equal". And who wants to be considered "equal" (to lab techs et al) anyway? Especially as "better than" has always been the case in general!

If what we are really talking about here is recognition and respect, well ... there are other, time-honoured, ways of achieving (earning) those.

As I must have said a million times, we are engineering technicians, and registration with the Engineering Council is more than sufficient.

I dont think that anyone can knock registration but as for Daves comment on not seeing us as equals. May I say bullshit as they know that if they treat us badley they will not have anything to work with.
I work closely with consultants here and they do listen to what we have to say. Those who choose otherwise got bitten. They know that we are professional at our job and I for one havent got registration to say so.
I agree with you Geoff registration with the Engineering Council is more than sufficient. By the way I must register . Plus with registration in the Engineering council it does close shop the medical sector. We need new blood in this field bringing new ideas to replace the old gaurd that are retiring. Whether these are from industry or Apprentices. As Dave has said himself he was a TV repair man, well if he had tried to get a job now with everyone coming out with VRCT membership he wouldnt be employed. It has to be said that this is not a qualification so therefore it should have no bearing on employment. It is also 'voluntary', need I say anymore.

As a footnote there needs to be a clear agenda on what can be achieved and how much it is going to cost us.

Billy

How about a register set up by Medical Engineers for Medical Engineers and not a pile of physists (no offence). Lets call it VRMT:)