Strategic Role in Managing Medical Equipment

Details

Title

Strategic Role in Managing Medical Equipment

Type

Stage Two

Module code

HPE131

Requirement

Compulsory

Module objective

By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will be able to analyse, synthesise, evaluate and apply their expert knowledge of the medical equipment life cycle. They will also be able to provide scientific and technical advice on appropriate medical equipment, its state of the art and emerging trends and its strategic planning within the healthcare organisation. The Clinical Scientist in HSST will be sensitive to the interests of various different stakeholders, manufacturers, suppliers, purchasers, patients and users of medical equipment. They will manage the development of business cases, procurement, through specification, evaluation, selection, installation, acceptance and commissioning, ongoing maintenance and disposal. It may include advising on the specification of the facility in which the equipment is installed. They will consistently demonstrate the attitudes and behaviours necessary for the role of a Consultant Clinical Scientist.

Knowledge and understanding

By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will analyse, synthesise, evaluate and critically apply their expert knowledge and understanding to medical equipment management, in particular its strategic role in the organisation, including:

• The structure of the healthcare organisation, responsibilities for setting strategy and alignment with national NHS strategy, relationships with external stakeholders, the strategic planning cycle.
• Medical equipment management to support the strategic aims of a healthcare organisation.
• The regulatory environment for managing medical equipment, including regulatory and safety issues from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), professional bodies, Medical Royal Colleges, appropriate organisations in the prevailing NHS structure and peer-reviewed science and published audits.
• How to achieve and demonstrate compliance with regulation cost effectively and how to address areas of non-compliance.
• How to assess the scientific evidence base and trends in medical equipment, including the evaluation of medical equipment life-cycle costs.
• Stakeholder relationship management, including those with suppliers, regulators, patients, research staff, clinicians and users of medical equipment.
• The strategic requirements for service innovation and research from the identification of opportunities, supporting colleagues to innovate, taking an idea from conception to clinical practice within ethical and governance frameworks.
• The requirements of procurement regulations, local standing financial practices and local organisational procurement procedures.
• The principles of public procurement, including transparency, proportionality, non- discrimination, equality of treatment, conflicts of interest.
• The clinical applications of the equipment and how medical equipment planning integrates with the strategic planning of the clinical department and specialty.
• The development to business cases, including financial and option  appraisals.
• The specification, evaluation and selection of medical  equipment.
• Developing strategies to ensure cost-effective maintenance of medical equipment, ensuring its reliability and meeting up-time targets.
• The safe decommissioning, decontamination and disposal of medical equipment.

Technical and clinical skills

By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will demonstrate a critical understanding of current knowledge and research and its application to the strategic management of medical equipment, and will:

• Assess the scientific, technical, economic and clinical evidence base underpinning the safe and effective operation of medical equipment, and report to the appropriate governance or management group in their organisation on compliance with regulations, alerting the appropriate governance group on non-compliances and suggesting remedial actions.
• Sensitively and professionally manage and lead as appropriate communications and relationships with the stakeholders involved in medical equipment management.
• Work with colleagues to develop business cases to support medical equipment procurement and evaluate the feedback and outcome of the procurement bid.
• Work with clinical staff to develop and write specifications for medical equipment that will form the basis for equipment tenders, including developing the criteria against which equipment will be compared, considering the environment in which the equipment will be installed.
• Work with clinical staff to evaluate and select medical equipment against the criteria.
• Project manage equipment installation, acceptance, critical examination and commissioning, including the generation of base-line performance data for future assessments.
• Advise on contractual arrangements for maintenance, including performance monitoring, up-time targets and record keeping.
• Monitor and advise on continuing value for money in relation to maintenance and repair arrangements.
• Advise on the safe decommissioning, decontamination and disposal of medical equipment in accordance with relevant regulatory framework.

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. They will be expected to consistently demonstrate the professional attributes and insights required of a Consultant Clinical Scientist working within the limits of professional competence referring as appropriate to senior staff, and will:

• Show leadership within the organisation by taking an active role in developing the medical equipment management strategy, influencing and negotiating as necessary.
• Be objective in providing advice on medical equipment management strategic issues.
• Influence, lead and support staff in the department/organisation to create a culture that recognises the importance of quality and quality improvement in the delivery of Medical Physics services.
• Adapt communication skills while working with a range of stakeholders, including patients, clinical and technical staff, suppliers and other external contractors, listening and being sensitive to the views of each stakeholder and ensuring their views are respected.