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“… have only got qualifications up to HND”. Only? Slip of the keyboard there, then, Clare?

Or, perhaps you obviously didn’t have to struggle up the ladder in the way that me and most others of my “generation” did? Note well that, according to the poll, we are still in the (silent?) majority!

I doubt that you did much black-smithing, tin-bashing, turning or welding (… I won’t go on) at university either? But how about fault-finding techniques?

In direct contradiction to what you suggest, I would have to say that “on-the-job” training is probably the best of all! It helps to concentrate the mind somewhat when you know only too well that, once the training is over (or, more likely, once the guidance has been given), you will be “in at the deep end”, so to speak. Real world.

Dreaming away the afternoons in the ivory tower is, conversely, probably not the way to concentrate the mind, simply because the real work is not yet at hand.

Personally, I gave up all my “professional registrations” many years ago, and have never once regretted it. I advise everyone else to do the same. Stop dreaming, clear away all that clutter and concentrate on doing the actual work!

As Richard already points out, the British NHS is already dominated by women!

But “biomed” needs fresh blood, regardless of gender, race, ethnic origin, sexual preference, physical or mental impairment, which football team they support or any other categorisation that can be dreamt up. It still isn’t a quick ticket to an easy life. Fertile young minds only need apply!

The key is the quality of the technician. We want young people (there are already plenty of veterans) who want to be biomed techs. Full stop.

Yes the NHS has probably had lots of opportunity to provide training for technical staff however most organisations have just let things slide because it's not been a priority, it costs in resources and the DoH has not made them do it.

God knows why not since the DoH have been spouting-on about the risks presented by the introduction of complex technology and the skills required to apply it but no-one seems to have made the connection that to use the equipment it needs to be maintained and working safely for the benefit of patients in order to mitigate risk.

There is actually more legislation regarding the maintenance and usage of cars in this country than the billions of pounds worth of medical equipment in use, it seems to me, and who is technically capable and actually authorised to do it when it comes down to such things as an MOT for example.

At a national level there has been no coordination or leadership (NHS managers note that is what the term "lead" means). The problem is that the NHS has left large parts of the service RE: medical equipment maintenance to go to seed for too long there is no national coordination to ensure consistency in training and the provision of the service.

It is a fact that many NHS trusts will not provide for training or develop services at the local-level unless there is sufficient demand, money made available and direct instructions or references to legislation from the DoH. This includes the provision of a means of employing higher proportions of skilled staff to meet demand and retaining those already providing the service.

Compromising them with lower equivalent salaries and providing limited protection under AfC will not do this neither will avoiding the issue of providing a means of introducing new-starters who are trained and skilled to an appropriate level.

At my training school we did a full year of welding, filing, flame cutting etc.

When I asked my training advisors, how many females they get applying for engineering jobs, they sadly said very few.

I know it is probably the same for male nurses and that they feel they are out numbered by women.

At the end of the day, if you can do your job to a high standard then that is all that matters.

Yes, our department needs young blood, but until the job in which we do is promoted more and people made aware of it then young blood won't be taken on.

If you ask people what is a medical technician, the answers I normally get are,

what is one of them?

Never heard of that job before?

What do they do?