Healthcare Technology Management —
Training activity: 3

Details

Organise and carry out an equipment evaluation with clinical users for a medical device procurement, ensuring appropriate indemnity arrangements have been made. Report on the findings of the evaluation.

Type

Developmental training activity (DTA)

Evidence requirements

Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee​.

Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.

An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.

Reflective practice guidance

The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.

Before action

What are the intended outcomes of the training activity?

• How have you reviewed the learning outcomes to ensure you are prepared to appraise and apply the relevant legislative frameworks, particularly regarding indemnity and liability during clinical trials or evaluations?
• What essential knowledge regarding organisational procurement policy and national safety standards must you acquire before you begin coordinating with clinical users?
• How do you plan to ensure the evaluation criteria effectively identify and assess the essential performance and basic safety of the technology being procured?

What do you anticipate you will learn from the experience?

• What specific insights do you hope to gain regarding the interdependence between clinical user feedback and technical safety specifications?
• In what ways do you expect this activity to improve your proficiency in translating technical safety requirements into a practical evaluation framework for non-specialist users?
• What do you already know about the procurement lifecycle that will help you manage the expectations of both suppliers and clinical stakeholders?

What actions will you take in preparation for the experience?

• What specific points have you prepared to discuss with your Training Officer to ensure the indemnity arrangements meet both legal requirements and departmental policy?
• What possible challenges have you identified—such as equipment failure during evaluation or conflicting user opinions—and how do you plan to handle them?
• How have you identified your feelings about embarking on this task, particularly the responsibility of ensuring the evaluated device is safe for clinical use?

In action

What are you doing?

• How are you currently approaching the organisation of the evaluation, and why have you chosen this particular method for gathering clinical feedback?
• What decisions are you making as the activity progresses to ensure that the indemnity and safety protocols are strictly followed by all participants?
• Which aspects of the technical assessment feel intuitive, and which require more conscious effort to ensure all legislative requirements are met?

How are you progressing with the activity?

• How effective are your current actions in capturing the data necessary to assess the device’s essential performance?
• What technical or logistical challenges are you facing while coordinating with clinical users, and what are you learning from these interactions as they unfold?
• How does this live evaluation connect to your existing knowledge of healthcare technology management and patient safety?

How are you adapting to the situation?

• Are there alternative evaluation strategies you should consider mid-process to better address specific clinical concerns or technical risks?
• What immediate support or guidance might you need from a senior engineer or procurement lead to resolve an ambiguity in the indemnity arrangements?
• How are you ensuring that your actions and interpretations remain strictly within your professional scope of practice?

On action

What did you notice?

• How would you summarise the key points of the experience, specifically detailing the technical findings of the evaluation and the success of the clinical user engagement?

What did you learn from the activity?

• What specific skills or knowledge did you develop regarding the application of legislative frameworks to equipment procurement?
• Were there any unexpected challenges or successes during the evaluation, and what did you learn from these regarding the device’s basic safety?
• In what ways did your reflection-in-action influence the final quality and accuracy of your evaluation report?
• How does the experience of coordinating this procurement relate to the requirements for your future post-programme practice?

What will you take from the experience moving forward?

• What areas for continued development in procurement management or safety appraisal have you identified as a result of this activity?
• How can you apply the learning from this evaluation (e.g., more robust indemnity checks or clearer reporting structures) to your routine practice?
• What are the specific ‘next steps’ you will now take, such as mastering a new piece of safety-testing equipment, to support the assimilation of what you have learned?

Beyond action

Have you revisited the experiences?

• How have you re-evaluated your initial technical findings in light of subsequent learning or feedback from the wider procurement team?
• Comparing this experience with your Observed Training Activities (OTAs), what specific observable behaviours in professional communication and technical precision have you now fully assimilated?
• In what ways has discussion with peers regarding your procurement challenges changed your view on how to navigate complex healthcare technology lifecycles?

How have these experiences impacted upon your current practice?

• How has this procurement activity supported your development in wider professional areas, such as writing interpretative technical reports or providing safety advice to clinical staff?
• How have you applied this knowledge of legislative and organisational frameworks since the original experience?
• In what ways has the cumulative learning from this activity supported your preparation for in-person assessments, such as Case-based Discussions (CBD)?

How might these experiences contribute towards your future practice?

• What transferable skills in strategic planning and system exploration have you developed that will help you lead future technology evaluations?
• What clear actions for continued development of your procurement skills have you identified to ensure your future practice remains safe and of high quality?

Relevant learning outcomes

#	Outcome
# 4	Outcome Appraise and apply legislative frameworks for healthcare technology management.
# 5	Outcome Practice in accordance with organisational policy for healthcare technology management.
# 8	Outcome Identify and assess the essential performance and basic safety of healthcare technology.