Module information
Details
- Title
- Risk Management and Medical Equipment Safety
- Type
- Stage One
- Module code
- HPE106
- Requirement
- Compulsory
Module objective
By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will be able to analyse and synthesise their understanding of the risk and safety processes for managing medical equipment. The Clinical Scientist in HSST will understand how to assess and minimise the risks associated with the use of medical equipment and how to report, analyse and learn from medical equipment incidents (adverse and near misses) to minimise the risk of recurrences.
The Clinical Scientist in HSST will also be expected to consistently demonstrate the attitudes and behaviours necessary for the role of a Consultant Clinical Scientist, promoting a culture where risk management and equipment safety are used to assured Medical Physics services.
Knowledge and understanding
By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will be able to analyse, synthesise, critically evaluate and apply their expert knowledge, including:
- Risk management terminology.
- Behavioural factors influencing risk, including ergonomics and human usability of medical equipment, the environment in which it is used and the manner in which it is operated.
- How to undertake formal assessments of medical equipment-related risks.
- Appropriate investigation and reporting of incidents involving medical equipment.
- Analysis of incidents involving medical equipment to identify the causes and the development and evaluation of processes to minimise the risk of recurrence.
- Informing patients and carers of incidents associated with their care and the processes to be followed.
- The potential impact of medical equipment incidents on patients, their relatives and carers.
- How to advise on associated policies and procedures designed to minimise risks and help ensure patient safety, including how to demonstrate compliance with regulations in a cost-effective and proportionate manner.
Technical and clinical skills
By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will demonstrate a critical understanding of current risk management and medical equipment safety practice and research evidence and its application to help enhance patient safety and minimise risks, and will:
- Identify the need for and perform risk assessments with reference to specific medical equipment hazards (including electrical, mechanical, radiation and chemical hazards), ensuring the findings are disseminated and any actions arising are completed.
- Write and where required revise and improve local rules for safe medical equipment use, and develop and advise on monitoring processes to ensure compliance with the local rules.
- Work with clinical colleagues, patients and multidisciplinary teams to advise on the appropriate and proportionate action required to be taken to minimise risk, including advising on the need to alter operating procedures and recommend actions to be taken with regard to the medical equipment (e.g. upgrade, repair, or replace).
- Investigate incidents involving medical equipment, working with clinical staff, patients and appropriate multidisciplinary teams to identify the causes.
- Use the organisation’s incident reporting system and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reporting system, and work with appropriate multidisciplinary colleagues to ensure clear factual reporting of incidents, documentation of the causes and of preventative measures and action taken to minimise risk and recurrence.
- Learn from incidents reported (DATIX and MHRA) and advise, suggest and develop processes to prevent recurrence, reporting to the appropriate governance and management groups of the healthcare organisation, working with appropriate groups to monitor the impact of the processes in reducing and managing risks.
- Work with the organisation’s risk management team to provide appropriate feedback to those who report medical equipment-related risks.
- Interpret safety alerts associated with medical equipment and their use and develop and suggest appropriate actions in response to the safety alerts.
Attitudes and behaviours
By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will be expected to evaluate their own response to both normal and complex situations, consistently demonstrating the professional attributes and insights necessary for the role of a Consultant Clinical Scientist and will:
- Promote and lead a just culture for incident reporting, investigation and management.
- Act in a professional and sensitive manner in dealing with patient and staff concerns around medical equipment incidents.