EBME Forums Forums Management Training occupational standards

Geoff,

Get a contractor is 'apparently' the way to go!! However I still beleive that the technician is worth his pay by effecting repair at point of failure regardless of politics, whilst adhering to supporting manuals and challenging commercial gain. As engineers - always say - WHY!!

Clinical facing on the ground engineers, most important, you cant beat it , med & dent techs are worth their wieght in gold.

Controversial? May be - dont say, just do it.

You're preaching to the converted there, Fordy.

We went to the same school, remember? And I like to think that (unlike a few others who may have fallen by the wayside) I have still kept the faith, more or less.

Controversial? No, I wouldn’t have thought so. Traditional? Yes. Effective? For sure.

C&G plus plenty of common sense and the ability to ask questions. This is what makes a good tech.

The world would be a far better place if a few of us got together and set up a School for Practical Biomeds. Minimal classroom work, but plenty of hands-on, and "need to know" only.

Occupational Standards? How about Biomed A to Z (Anaesthetics to ... er, X-Rays - plus YAG lasers and Zeners?)

How about it, Neil (something worthwhile in which to sink your stash of cash)?

It would need to be outside of the UK, to escape all the BS that applies there. How about Cyprus?

Meanwhile, I think I know where to lay my hands on a container load of junk kit ... you know, to practise on! Any fertile young mind could rapidly attain Genius Guy status after total immersion in a pile of faulty infusion pumps for a week or two!

The first problem is, 'if you set up outside of the UK who would pay to join the course' ?????? Especially under this government.

The students would have to find the money. Grants, bursaries, or from their own pockets.

But we wouldn't be charging that much, Neil. Keep it simple, Mate. We're not talking posh here, and I'm thinking more of overseas students, if you know what I mean.

For instance, they would need to take turns in peeling the spuds. Good for humility, the soul, bonding ... and all that good stuff.

Anyway, which government are you refering to? The Majlis-al-Shura?

Cyprus would not be a good idea, but if you are talking overseas students, what about either the Philippines or Thailand.

Wherever you decide, Neil. Sana'a, even.

Go ahead and set it up ... then give me a call!

I see a few problems with your idea Geoff.

It seems that in regards to equipment maintenance the situation is falling into two camps, cheap as possible so that GP's get their QOF points or quality organisations.

Where GP's are only interested in their QOF points your probably going to be overqualified. In the past when I come across a new tested sticker (or should that be visually inspected) I do a quick search , I've seen quite a few where the company was a PAT test company who've decided to expand into medical equipment or where the supposed technicians/engineers look highly suspiciously like sales reps. If the company doesn't repair, but instead sells new, or is just doing a glorified PAT test they don't need such qualified staff.

Whereas if you decide to market yourself as a quality organisation you'll probably find your under qualified. I know of at least two companies who have lost work because they couldn't prove their employees where qualified to at least HND level or could prove their quality.

Your points are well taken Chris, but which post are you responding to?

I'm well aware of "sticker maintenance", Mate. I've seen plenty of that, believe me. My buddies and I often have a laugh about it. How about:- "if it glows, it goes" (out the workshop door)? Ha, ha.

But speaking for myself, I'm not particularly interested in servicing either GP's or "quality organisations" (by that I presume you mean the NHS, or Private Healthcare providers in the UK).

That's not what I do! Charity work, and tech support of others ... remember?

We have never lost work (as far as I'm aware), mainly (I think) because we give a decent service at rates that are pitched at the low end of the scale. And, I might add, folk come back to us because they appreciate our honesty, and the fact that (being technically - rather than sales - driven) we are not perceived as either cowboys or ... er, bullshitters!