EBME Forums Forums Management Professional Issues IPEM seeks your opinion!

Don't forget that we don't have a National Health Service as such, Billy ... just a hundred and sixty or so semi-autonomous "pretend* businesses", that are obliged to follow a load of rules ("guidelines", legislation, whatever) set down by Central Government. That is, each one "doing their own thing" in as much as they can get away with doing so.

We all know that the NHS needs properly organised (structured) technical services, with a Central Training School, Specialist Workshops, and all the rest ... plus a doubling (trebling?) of technician manpower. But somehow I doubt this will ever happen unless the present, somewhat ad-hoc, "system" collapses totally in a spectacular manner.

Meanwhile, all this bickering about which gang is the one to join, and who should represent whom, is simply a distraction. None of the "societies", "institutions" or "registers" is going to carry the fight forward, as far as I can see. Or, if they are indeed planning to do so ... when are they going to start (how long do we have to wait)?

* I say "pretend", as income is guaranteed, whether they are "successful" or not.

I have to agree with the central training facility. Bit like what Falfield was meant to be.
Have to say that that would ensure standards throughout the industry bit like our training through the services.(Have to add that since they started out sourcing the training to the units the standard did drop)

But lets have the training in the centre of the country (yes there is a country above the M25 ).
We could then stop the rather embarrassing employment spec for a trainee tech at band 4 with experience??? (You know who you are)

Reasonably central, though.

Just read the technologist section of the IPEM as linked to earler in this thread, it sounds like they want us to join three organisations, IPEM, VRCT & IEng. They must live in a different world!

Patience Grasshoppa! If you wait long enough they'll amalgamate anyway!

Remember what became of the good old Society of X-Ray Technology?

Doubt it Geoff for IPEM to amalgamate they'd have to do a bit of engineering first! One criticism of IPEM is that their all physics, perhaps a merger with the institute of physics on the other hand?

Also biomedbill technically VRCT and IEng aren't organisations, although suggesting you join them does show what the standard should be and it's not band 4.

As for that central location looking at what their actually requiring I think their taking the proverbial. A very wide range for that is essential and desirable, doesn't really leave much room for career development, this job your going to be on band 4 for a very long time. As for on call rota at band 4 that's just barmy, where's the supervision at 2am in the morning?

On the other hand, I suspect I'm not the only one of my age group who would take such a job, were it to be offered.

After all, not all of us have an overwhelming desire to set the world afire, but are content just to keep a low profile and simply get on with the work, without unrealistic expectations (from both sides).

2 am call-outs? Pah! Been there, done that (often night after night at one place I recall).

Band 4 actually states Geoff that post follows operating procedures and someone is available for reference. Also below band 5 your also supposed to be supervised. Hence where's this supervision at 2am in the morning, unless they go around in pairs?

Don't ask me, Mate. I don't write the ads.

You're right that the pretence* has to be maintained, or else pay bands will be creeping down all over the place. And before you know it, yet another "reorganisation" will be needed.

I understand what you're saying, of course ... but some of us "outsiders" don't really give a damn about all that, if you see what I'm saying.

As you may have already gathered, I would be just as happy if the good folk at the "Central Location" quantified the work to be done, then put it out to tender!

* Maybe charade would have been a better word to use.

Once you get to a band 5, do you have a separate bathroom and your own key?