EBME Forums Forums Free discussion Out of Hours When a biomed calls?

What hospital it was is not important. Just that it happened.

Draeger as a company could be making a EBME take over bid to run the department or have a large tender going out. Any information supply could be called insider dealing and give some one unfair advantage.

We had member of staff leave and go to Philips. Philip was in the process of putting in a large tender and told their new member of staff not to go to their old hospital until the bid was completed.

I hope we never get to the stage NHS versus Company.

Have a Fantastic New Year to all

A.M

Hi Richard,
As a senior member of your ex employer, i wonder whether your meaningfull comments are true. I remember attending a training course at St James' (ERBE Diathery) where you were asked whether you were still with Hope Hospital, your reply being " No, they are all a bunch of miserable B**!!**ds ", i promptly introduced myself as being one of the so called individuals,(rather uncalled for). Since you left the establishment we have had a number of staff changes including management, as for myself i can't complain about how the company has treated me, and i hold nothing against any of the staff, all the lads & management are hard working and dedicated to their main goal - the patient. Draeger may not have been your most preferred employer but why take it out on individual people - especially comments made behind peoples backs. At this moment in time i have no intention of moving employer but nothing is stopping me, if a better offer appears i would go for it - Draeger is an employer not an enemy.Mark is a hardworking engineer who would do anything for anybody (even at his own cost), I dont think he deserved what happened, especially from fellow professionals - why is there so much anger within the community, even though it is from a minority - so sad.
OK had my winge now - Hope everyone has a Happy New Year. Best Wishes to all!!!

Hello Gary,

I somehow get the impression you think that I know all the circumstances surrounding Mark.E's earlier posts. I certainly don't know all the ins and outs. I'm a senior member of the department where I work but I'm no good at fortune telling or runes - I haven't had any verbal or face to face communication with him since about 12 months ago or more. However; what I am good at is remembering facts.....

As I remember, at Leeds, there was only Chris, your colleague, who I actually worked with during my time at Hope - for about a week. He's the guy I spent a good few days of my time, sharing my knowledge with, before I left, on my own initiative and time, going over the fundamentals of multiparameter monitoring (Solar 8000/TRAMRAC/Modules) and physiological measurements theory; because no-one else was assisting him very much and he was obviously keen.

It's 4.5 years ago but I have a reasonable memory (despite only working with him for a few days) and I remember that his father was a clinician of some sort (surgeon/anaethetist?), he came from a audio-engineering (sound-mixers/Amps?) company and had no previous medical experience. All facts as I remember them - correct? Why should I have an axe to grind with him personally or you for that matter? People I've never worked with and don't know, who mean nothing to me?

On the other hand, as I remember at the time, Chris spent most of the time apologising for "taking my NHS job as he saw it" because he "could see what was going on" at Hope (as in how the original staff were seen as being "pushed out") and thanking me for taking time to go over some stuff.

Similar comments that were made by another new-starter at the time - Martin - a colleague from MRI, who came to work in ICU/anaesthetics, who has since left your employer to become a Radiographer I believe. Another fact. Probably the best move to make in the circumstances.

This was about the same time that two new starters from other NHS trust came and went from your employer within the space of a few weeks. You see, Gary, you don't know the circumstances of mine and many others experiences at Hope, from our perspective, at that time. I earned the right to have an opinion about my employer - it was paid for by hard work over many years followed by pretty rough treatment. However - if you're inferring that I was referring to you personally with my comments you'd be pretty far off the mark actually.

Where you've got it wrong is that the comments were actually being made in another context to an ERBE engineer involving a long-running joke between him and myself about some of the individuals at Hope - pre Gary Walker, Senior Tech, by a long, long way, in fact.

If you'd actually got into the ERBE course on-time, Gary, then others wouldn't have been engaged in banter whilst we were all waiting for you and your colleagues to arrive (all self-concsious and flustered like) and you'd have heard the preamble, hence context, of my comments to my ERBE colleague, who is a jolly chap, incidentally, as I am when I'm on a roll, I think.

Coincidentally, believe it or not, the background to this running joke is similar to what Mark.E was referring to as his "Beef" - the relatively "new" ERBE engineer actually been treated a bit offish at Hope (a few years before you or your employer was on the scene) as in a lack of cooperation and not being offered a coffee after travelling all the way from Leeds on a rush-job and having drawn some strange looks (as I saw it).

I was the one to offer him a brew (despite me not being in the tea-fund - naughty but true). Seems you can't win even if you chip into the fund to make amends - as I did on that day (and on other occasions when ex-colleagues visited). Since then the "miseries" at Hope have been the common theme between this engineer and I whenever we meet (every few years or so, it seems). There was no maliciousness, it wan't aimed at you since your a no-mark as far as I'm concerned, I don't know you or your colleagues, and it's a joke between those "in the know", so to speak.

See Gary you don't know what I was really talking about on that day because you don't know me and have never worked with me and I don't know you. Shame working for your current employer makes you and your colleagues in MHS so paranoid. At least I know how sensitive you all are to such comments, even if they're nothing to do with you personally, so I will be careful in your presence next time.

Although I'm not going to avoid a bit of banter with ex-colleagues such as Mohammed Rafique, John Murphy, Lee Chappell, Ned Kelly (who were at the ERBE venue) and many others I've had the pleasure to work with and occasionally meet on courses, for your benefit. You and your colleagues seem to want special treatment - this fits in with the " be careful what you say I could be your boss attitude" that is prevelant in earlier posts unfortunately.

The miserable so and so's were actually my ex-work colleagues then (the whingeing miserable tightfisted ones who couldn't spare a brew then in 199whenever) - not your colleagues now. Quite apt really since this thread revolves around Mark.E not being able to impose himself on an EBME department and insist on a brew. You, like Mark.E, on that day, I assume, have got quite a cheek trying to infer that my comments are untrue when they are all based upon fact - most of which you're not aware of, incidentally.

Of course I wouldn't be referring to you or your colleagues personally since I never worked with you or the majority of them. Neither do you work with the ex NHS ones I was actually referring to, anymore, since most have moved-on from Hope. The ERBE engineer knows who I was referring to and also the context the comments were made (in response to his question whether I still worked there and was XXX still there - your employer is not the be all and end all believe it or not). Shame you were not at the course on time to hear the preamble.

Mud-slinging is a dangerous business Gary. Stones in greenhouses and all that. Weren't you also a senior member of an NHS department at Pontefract? Needless to say I'm not going to comment anymore on that for your sake , even though it's no skin off my nose. Send my regards to Alan, Ivor and Bill, will you, and Harry, of course, if he's still around. Best of luck with the new contract in June.

Happy New Year by the way.

It would appear this string like so many others on different subjects, has been sidetracked or manipulated into another subject entirely.

I have no hidden agenda's, and neither am I a secret spy using my powers to over-throw the world and his cousin.

Yes I work for a company which is involved in NON-NHS run Biomedical Maintenance. I know not what happened before I was there, because I was not there! I too have heard many rumours from many different mouths. All I can say that I personnally would never had gone to work there had it not been that the present manager was in charge. A more honourable and straight guy I have never met.

Ok so now I work for Draeger, I am not afraid to say it, neither am I afraid to admit that I have worked at Hope either. Some of the things which gets said on these pages border on Libel. The things I have heard over the years spoken to me by some of the people who have submitted stuff is more slanderous than I am prepared to write here.

I worked at Hospital's around Manchester, then Penlon for five years. I have travelled the entire North of England doing something which I enjoy and feel I do well. I moved because of personnal circumstance's. A move I was hesistant to do because of what was told to me by Mr Ling.

All I can say is that the facts and recalls told to me by he, and other past "post" holders, I have no idea what it was like before. Because it most certainly is not like that now.

I joined the company a year ago, and have risen through the ranks to my present position. At last I have found an employer where hard work and more hard work is rewarded. We all know of those who do less, but appear to get more in this world. Or those who appear to know everything, but still never move forward through the ranks, no matter where they work, or how well they do their duties.

I am not a spy or have any hidden agenda's, I am just me. I would and still do anything for friend's. Yes Richard I am straight talking, naive it would appear, but honest and above all honourable. I can get over my bad experience's and move on and forward. After listening to others over the years, I feel some of you can't.

Is it not time now to grow up, and move onward and upward...or is festering over the past the only thing some people can do?

On that note it's off to get my breakfast and prepare for the New Year ahead.

Cheers and Happy New Year to all those readers out there.

And remember dont let the Bas***d's Grind you down. Life is what YOU make of it !!

Hi Richard,
Just a point that I was at the course on time, you see I still live in Pontefract - St James's is on my doorstep, it was Chris & Mark who were a bit late. I did hear all the preamle that was said, and (maybe it is me) took it rather personally, I felt that it was Draeger as a whole that was being dragged down not individuals. I think Mark has a point where people need to move on, there are still comments posted on this site such as "ooh you dont want to work there" and "you dont want to work for Draeger" we have people come to interviews with comments like this heard from surrounding hospitals. As far as my past I dont hold a grudge. i agree not a pleasant thing to go through, but my concience is clear (crown court clear), again grudges bounce back at you in later life. I agree I dont know you Richard
, but my reactions come purely from threads i have read on this forum and from what people have said - sorry if it has offended. Any way i will pass your wishes on, Unfortunately Harry has had a rough year this year and not been very well, he is off at the moment with pneumonia (just come out of Trafford General before Xmas) but im sure the tidings will be passed on.
All the best wishes in the New Year to you.

Let’s Hope (pun intended) that a guy can be still be judged by his qualities and skills as a tech., regardless of who he works for. Remember the Band of Brothers!

And, as many of us know (but some may prefer not to admit), some NHS biomed departments do need to be, shall we say, shaken up a bit. If it takes bringing in a contractor to make that happen, then so be it. How else is the “reset button” going to be pressed at places like that? I would be pleased to be enlightened on this point myself.

So, in fact, it wasn't personal then - how can it have been - I'm glad you see it that way on reflection. I take it that you're loyal to your employer which isn't a bad thing - as should any employee that feels they're being given a chance and a new start. Not something that was on offer at the time for us TUPE'd ex-NHS employees seeing as the culture was about breaking things down and rebuilding from anew it seemed to me. Your MHS employer, based on MHS as it was, is still not one I would personally choose to work for. No need for apologies Gary.

Well I hope Harry is fully recovered ASAP and that the others are keeping well.

Regards.

I know I am dumb at times,

But to say my visit to chat over family and friendly business was seen as insider dealings???

Any representative from any company looks out for opportunities from what they hear inside hospitals, from the staff generally. It's called keeping one's ears open.

Now I have been into and left EBME departments all over the place, they never say much except to bitch about the AFC, or the latest pay insult!!

If you want to know about anything ask the theatre staff or the cleaner, or those long suffering staff in A+E. EBME staff the country over are so paranoid about whats happening to them maybe, possibly or next, they never divulge anything in case big brother is listening, recording or next to them!!

But as far as gossip is concerned rumour or secret agenda's they are the experts...lol

Don't worry I wont be calling in anywhere for a brew and a chat about your PC probs, car troubles, to ask about your families or the kids, or the football result's any more.. I get the hint..
Everything is just business opportunities for the Enemy??... Get a life you sad people!!

Mark.E,

Well Mark, Gary, other colleagues who work with you and colleagues in the same/similar MHS organisations obviously feel hard done to and have given their "well-intentioned" support (which is in itself is based on rather personal comments, tends to dwell on the issue of employer and the past) based on very few, if any, of the real facts surrounding the originating post. This "assistance" has altered the thrust of your original posting that was, I assume, mainly intended to embarrass ex-colleagues, who for whatever reason, could not entertain you to the style you obviously expected was your due on that day.

You started this topic and made your employer the reason for your treatment that day - I don't know what was said to you but it's probably what's has been discussed with other company representatives as well - you won't have been singled out based on employer as far as I'm aware. As I said in an earlier post perhaps it's got nothing to do with your employer. Personally I'm not interested in your employer, whether you have any agendas, your thoughts, views or experiences, particularly. But I will use my experiences to give my perspective, based on fact. I made my decisions a while back and have stuck to them.

Just to clarify that I'm not bitter and twisted to the extent that I can't be objective; when asked, or when I feel it's necessary, I'll give the facts, my feelings, advice and any other relevant information that may be useful - as I did when you asked about moving from your previous to your current employer. Obviously things have changed but I can only give the information I know about and what I experienced. Now I am criticised for taking the time to give my honest and open views, it seems.

Personally I would not have gone back even with a management change precisely because I've moved on to better things. My "Beef" is with what I personally regard a "bad employer" based on my experience - remember I left them when it was convenient for me. Not running to be taken-on because I was hanging-on by my fingers or particularly desperate. I now realise you may have been in a different situation, since you decided to take what I would see as a risk (weighed up against the benefits you've now got, of course). If you'd remained in NHS employment perhaps you would have been in an even better position than you are now Mark, perhaps not. If's buts and maybes, eh?

I know the department you visited treats all visitors in a very professional and courteous manner - more so than some departments I've worked in since those welcoming visitors are particularly good at people-skills and telephone manner in my opinion. However most visitors and even ex-colleagues on their own time do not embarrass themselves or their host, when visits may not be appropriate or convenient, by arranging a visit with a specific purpose and then turning it into an informal one. The word is impose, I believe. What I don't believe is that your employer has anything to do with it - as I have hinted previously.

My example about the "palava" when I visited Hope, above, was not to highlight the fact I wasn't allowed to do what I wanted and it bothered me because I wasn't - just that I've been in a similar situation to yourself and didn't take the extra paperwork and access limitations personally - you can't always expect the same privileges when you make a visit back to an ex-employer - precisely because things move on.

I wouldn't say you were niaive - but I wouldn't say, in my opinion, that you were anymore truthful or honourable than the next man - certainly not enough to judge your peers and have an "holier than thou" attitude in any case. Although I'm glad you don't bear grudges to individuals just "doing their job". If it's true, is based on fact and can be supported with witnesses and evidence then it's not libellous, if written, or slanderous, if spoken. Neither is it malicious if it's used to highlight and explain a situation and where someone is "coming-from" and to put "the story straight".

I don't know you that well and I've never worked with you but I'm giving you the opportunity with your posts to get whatever it is off your chest and to vent it at me, if you like, seeing as I work in the department that "wouldn't let you in through the door"; which is misleading since you were in conversation with an ex-colleague for about 30mins, while some were having a hard-earned lunch break (in tea-room that was choc-a-bloc)and others working, to my knowledge.

Now let's stop this nonsense shall we?

Seems like a few of you guys could benefit from one of my motivational sessions at the “Biomed Boot Camp”!