Hi Huw

Please could we try to form a contact list for the EBME/Medical Physics departments?

This has come about because several times now we have found equipment in our hospital from other Trusts, and we want to return them. A single list with the main number is sufficient, I don't want people to feel personally pinned down as a point of contact unless they are genuinely happy for that to happen!

I don't mind collecting the data if people want to add themselves, and then I could make an easy-reference spreadsheet.

Hi Clare,

Supposedly this website is a list of EBME departments in the UK.

It doesn't hold any contact names and I don't know if the phone numbers are direct to the EBME departments or just for the main switchboard.

Might give you a good base to work with though.

Regards,

Hi Clare,
Maybe we could start here... EBME Department contacts

Although some of the contacts will be out of date, I'm afraid.

If anyone would like to add their details please do so.

If anyone would like to edit details, just send me a pm.

@Chris - I don't think that website has been updated in years.

It certainly hasn't got as much information as your list

The main problem I've encountered when calling trusts "blind" is knowing what the department call themselves. I think I've come across EBME, Medical Engineering, Clinical Engineering, Medical Physics.

Just having a direct line to the department is beneifical in itself.

Thanks both for those! I thought there ought to be a list somewhere, but struggled to find it, possibly because it is too low on the screen when I access the EBME website. I have to scroll down to see the EBME Links tab.

I still could not find a working telephone number for University Hospital of Manchester's Medical Engineering department, and despite several attempts at being put through by the hospital's reception ladies, the phone either rings and rings or drops out.

I also tried to send the correct information for our hospital to the Medweb one you posted, Chris, and the email linked to the website is no longer functioning. My email bounced back almost immediately... Ho hum.

Huw, I will give you our updated details, because they are a long way out of date now! Look out for the PM.

I also looked for a "Lost and Found" topic, which I am sort of sure I saw before, and it is ... missing.

If there is one, please could some kind person point it out, or if not could we have one please? I'm sure that equipment goes walkabout quite regularly.

We got something sent to us once by mistake that was supposed to go to Ireland... Neither the address nor the hospital name should have caused confusion, but somehow did

Thanks Clare, I will update the details

There have been several lost & found topics - I wonder if they deserve their own category...?

New Category >> Lost & Found

Hi Huw & Clare,

There was also this post as well.

Before my time on this forum but did anything happen with that in the end Huw?

There are a couple of others that I have also found but people seem to have opened a new topic for each item.

Nothing happened with the database as it wasn't practical.

However I have found a dozen or so threads on the same subject and I may combine them into a single category. (Although the topic doesn't come up as frequently as I first thought.)

I cannot believe that the Mighty NHS does not already have a master database of all departments (not only biomed) ... if not, what do all the £££ zillions that get bunged at "IT" get spent (wasted) on?

The same with "lost and found" ... is there not some kind of network within the NHS (and if not, why not)?

Reminder to all comers:- this website is *not run (operated, or financed) by the NHS!

* As far as I am aware.

Correct

Yes it does have a network the N3 network, although it wouldn't be any help in this instance as it's basically a extra internet and using the email system (hard to search) is optional between Trusts and a few Trusts use their own systems.

Also I think those lists might be out of date, this must have been way before my time if 'Bristol Royal United Hospital', Bath existed and as for Bristol General two months to the big move.

Maybe worth checking the Trusts websites as I know quite a few departments have their own webpages.

And how many Trusts are there?

That's the trouble with websites (not to mention databases):- folk get them up and running in an excited flurry of activity ... only to have them wither on the vine often within a seemingly short space of time.

Just like the kit, they need to be looked after ... and maintained.

Perhaps an appropriately framed question under the Freedom of Information Act is in order.

This list seems to list the Acute trusts

Then again another question is how many Trusts actually share a EBME/Medical Physics department?

Yes, that looks like a useful list.

Pity that they filed Rotherham (for instance) under "The ...".

@ Chris - that's a list that I acquired myself from them. Only problem that I found is that it does only list just the Acute Trusts.

I have come across a number of other trusts that aren't listed on there that also have EBME departments.

And yes to your additional comment that there are a couple of trusts that I have found that have a combined/shared department - Bournemouth and Poole as an example.

IPEM Clinincal Engineering SIG have been trying to get a list of all departments and are having a huge problem. May be someone should speak to them so that one central(updated) list can be created.
Robert

I wouldn't have thought that knocking up a database of a couple of hundred biomed departments was that much of a problem. Especially for anyone with decent internet access and a phone line funded "by others". As mentioned before, the problem is in maintaining its accuracy.

But the question is:- who is going to do it (and where will it be lodged, published and maintained)?

Meanwhile, isn't this the "Lost and Found" forum?

I worked with someone on the SIG and you would not believe how hard it is to track down all the hospitals and PCts let alone the EMBE/estates/medical electronics/medical engineering/clinical engineering/biomedical engineering/etc etc etc departments.
If IPEM are resourcing this and want to keep it up to date - thank you very much.
Robert

I've had very few contact me regarding updating our list.
Perhaps people just don't want to be contacted.

That's just what I've been thinking all along.

It's nice to remain beavering away in your own little world. It's my own preferred way of getting along, after all.

The big difference being, of course (and dare I mention it) is that NHS departments are paid for out of the Public Purse. So surely a modicum of openness is not too much to ask?

As I've already mentioned, a request under the Freedom of Information Act should do the trick!

Hi Clare,

I have just checked the EBME database on this site and although we are listed, (as Manchester Royal Infirmary) the contact information is way out of date.
We are currently known as Medical Engineering & Maintenance (or MEAM for short) at: "Central Manchester University hospitals NHS foundation trust" This encorporates 5 hospitals (soon to be 6+)

I have added this information to the database!

Rob

Thank you Rob.
Should any of the records be removed completely?

Thanks Huw!

The following information is no longer correct and should be removed from the database.

Hospital: Manchester Royal Infirmary
Location: Greater Manchester
Contact Name: Kevin Irlam
Tel: 0161 276 6366


Hospital: Booth Hall Children's Hospital
Location: Blackley, Manchester
Contact Name: Simon Verrechia
Tel: 0161 220 5571
Fax: 0161 220 5233

Thanks Rob - both records removed.

If anyone can help me update the records, please PM me.

Thanks