Regulation should apply to all those working as Clinical Technologists regardless of employer! The scope of practice has been written by Medical Engineering Technologists to describe the role of a newly qualified Medical Engineering Technologist at the point of registration!
Thus, the Scope of Practice is not meant to describe the role of the experienced Medical Engineering Technologist but is designed to indicate the range of education and training that a newly qualified Technologist should have undertaken. It represents the skills and competencies base that they should have at the point when they are first registered. Thus to achieve a rounded knowledge of Medical Engineering they need to: be fully conversant with engineering principles; fully understand and participate in the equipment management cycle; they need to appreciate how devices are designed and developed; and, be able to assess and evaluate new devices, check performance and function and to communicate information to other healthcare professionals; they also need to have knowledge of the clinical use of devices along with other academic skills such as the ability to undertake critical thinking and problem solving.
It may well be that outside maintenance contractors who repair or maintain a specific item of equipment need not be registered Medical Engineering Technologists but there is a duty of care on the contractor to ensure that that individual is properly trained to work on the equipment. There is also the responsibility of the employing organisation to ensure that the equipment, once repaired or maintained is fit for purpose. The role of the Medical Engineering Technologist is fundamental to this process.
If Medical Engineering services are outsourced by an organisation, anyone employed as a Medical Engineering Technologist will require to be registered.
The statement recently issued by the Department of Health makes this abundantly clear.
Finally, can I re-iterate that the VRCT comprises representatives from the IET, ART and IPEM. It is not an organisation run by IPEM or Medical Physicists. It is a standalone regulator which uses IPEM staff to perform administative functions.
