EBME Forums Forums Free discussion Free discussion EME Amalgamation or Take-over

I think it is generally accepted that there are "sour grapes" between Physicists and Technicians for a variety of reasons. I feel resentful and undervalued.

John, I do not know whether you are advocating EBMEs being taken over by Medical Physics or not. I take it you are directly employed by an EBME or Medical Physics on a NHS grade - Medical Physics or EBME, which one is it? Who do you prefer to work for and do you feel more secure as EBME or would you prefer to work under Medical Physics?

Richard,
I enjoy working in our EBME Department because of the staff around me, and the autonomy it gives me to make decisions. We come directly under Facilities, who also have very little experience in Medical Devices Management.
In any management structure it is common for Senior management to rely on their line management for strategic advice in service delivery. If they are worth their salt, they will work with you to improve the service.
I have worked in one Medical Physics Department at Riyadh Military Hospital. Whether this is typical of an NHS Medical Physics department I can't comment. I felt the biomeds were less valued and that got right up my nose. Saying that, the Medical Physics staff not involved in Biomedical Engineering were normal human beings with feelings, and many of them were my friends, as is Alex.
I came from a Forces Hospital biomed department in Ely. After that, working in Saudi for 3 years, I spent a short time at North Crumpsall EBME in Manchester, Then the EBME Dept at Barnet, Then the EBME Dept at Chase Farm, then the EBME Dept here. I suppose my experience of Medical Physics is negligable, but surely it is important to develop inter-professional relationships within the NHS, whether that is with the Physics professions or other fields.
I can see your point of view, and respect it. I would like to see parallel career paths where we could acheive equal standing. What I don't like seeing is one NHS profession knocking another one. There are many physicists out carrying out R&D to develop the next exciting piece of medical equipment. There are many cross over areas between out professions and maybe we should be building bridges and better communication, rather than trying to 'send them to coventry'.

I have presented my views based, initially, on two-years NWRHA MP technician training in a number of Medical Physics and EBME departments in the Greater Manchester Area, twelve years actually working in Medical Physics and one year working in EBME. Including a six-month stint working for a private company after being out-sourced due to market testing.

The bottom-line: My opinion is that I don't think that working in a Medical Physics Department will protect EBME technicians from PFI or out-sourcing and that the status of technicians working in a Medical Physics department is no higher, or lower, than working in an EBME as far as the customer is concerned. I am not convinced that working for, or with, a professional automatically improves an individuals status.

To progress technicians and engineers working in equipment maintenance must become professionals, in their own-right, specialising in medical equipment maintenance. Including taking on management roles and positions of responsibility to trust management level. As you have said yourself, John, I think.

This works both ways John, Louis admirers your espouse to these fellows, you are willing to embrace them John because you are human. Louis feels the bottom line here is that they are united, they are incorporated into their institution, we my friend are not, whilst we continue to be automatons, physicists will always continue to look down at us. Richard, my balladist, I cant agree with you more, I too have worked within medical physics, as I have said earlier, I witnessed one of their “kingpins” stuff the EBME profession in general. Legend has it there were allegedly physicists on the panel when the MTO grade was in its genesis, need I say more, my friends, need I say more. Louis feels “incorporation” is key to our existence. Impinge my friends, impinge

Louis III

Stole it they did, pilfered our recognition from under our very noses, plagiarized all our hard efforts, shanghai'd our creation, pauperized our ideals. Oh sufferance my myrmidon's sufferance