EBME Forums Forums Management Professional Issues Statutory Regulation, Is there a Compelling Case?

Hi Jim, When you say

That would be extremely discriminatory against a new older biomed that has just joined the profession after spending decades in other areas of modern engineering. These people are often ideally suited to work as biomeds, as they often have fault finding and maintenance skills on mechanical and electronic equipment, which means they can slot right in as if they have been doing it for years.
Why should being a member of a club which has no checking of it's existing membership's abilities or competance, allow any favour over another person who might be better, harder working, experienced and perfect for the same role ?
In my experience these late comers to the profession, often bring extremely valuable skills and knowledge which can advance the methods and save thousands to an established department.

@Steve:

@Chris: sorry to be pedantic (but what else would you expect?) ... but I doubt that those first group of "journeymen" have become unable to take care of the equipment they were originally employed to look after; but rather the problems may arise with the kit that came along later!

Actually, I don't even buy that one, either - as even the dullest of the dull should be able to drag along day-to-day, and generally "keep up", in a biomed department simply by virtue of being there year in, year out!

Anyway, forget those guys. Hopefully, I fall into the second type of journeymen you describe myself. And (I might add) have even been known to kick arse when needed.

By the way, I notice your use of the word "prove". Does the modern (degreed) technician prove his worth every day, then? Or (as I suspect) would an outside observer be hard put to distinguish between the performance of the Journeyman and the Graduate?

Alas Geoff a lot can talk the talk but just can't walk the walk, except for a trial period how else can you tell between the journeyman and graduate who can actually do the job and the BS'er than what they can put down on their CV's?

Although this is where ageism does raise it's head, why shouldn't the graduate or journeyman be paid the same if their doing the same job? Steve you'll often find that the new older biomed is often either placed on a short training period that lasts a few years or placed with a mentor before their fully carrying out the role, but Geoff both won't reach the top of their bands for many years.

This is where any training scheme has to be customised to the individual to take into account their existing training and knowledge.

I had imagined that these "journeymen" you were referring to were Old Sweats who are letting the years pass gently by until retirement, rather than new staff who had yet to demonstrate their true value.


Indeed. Why aren't they?

And why should annual increments be awarded to folk simply for surviving another year? OK ... let me guess:- to encourage retention. Why not just call their bluff? That is, if they feel up to seeking work elsewhere - why hold them back?

Automatic increments really winded me up when I worked in the NHS and you're right Geoff they should be earned.

How many different threads are there regarding regulation? Can they be combined as it appears that the same protagonists either for or against are participating in each of them with very few new ideas?

I only see the one on the front page (the Billboard) at present, Neil.

Surely by now you must have noticed that the pot needs to be stirred on here from time to time, else the forum runs the risk of becoming irrelevant (or at least moribund) by virtue of lack of use.

How about:- use it, or lose it!

Meanwhile, if you feel like wading through the earlier posts (and yes, there have been a fair number) and then summarising the various positions as they currently stand, please go ahead. I'm sure we would all be very grateful

Has anybody seen the consultation paper from the Academy for Heathcare Science yet? It's called Improving quality, protecting patients. They are attempting to bring together all the "unregistered" healthcare science practitioners especially those on voluntary registers into one common group. Once again we have an opportunity to put our case forward to say that we Biomeds do not fit in with the academic model for registration whether it be Clinical Technologist or Healthcare Science Practioner.

Movement on the VRCT???? Surely not, it is far too soon.

I don't think they'll have any say in the matter, this one is backed by the Chief Scientific Officer of the NHS.