An exciting opportunity is available to join our clinical engineering team as a workshop team leader. Our team are responsible for the maintenance, repair and management of a wide range of medical devices across The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.

Ideally you will have a minimum of a HNC in medical or electronic engineering and have several years' experience in a supervisory role. You will possess expert knowledge in engineering and electronic principles, be able to diagnose complex equipment faults and provide technical leadership and line management for the team.

As part of the team your role and the work you do will contribute to the safe treatment of our patients.

Working hours are 37.5 per week, nominal working hours are: 08:30 - 17:00.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will be enthusiastic, dedicated and flexible. Along with excellent technical skills you will be an excellent communicator, remain calm under pressure and enjoy leading a team.

You will liaise directly with clinical colleagues and equipment users providing expert technical and asset management advice for a wide range of medical devices across their lifecycle.

You will be involved in the completion, planning and allocation of planned preventative maintenance and repair work across a broad range of medical devices. You will be comfortable providing specialist technical advice to clinical equipment users and colleagues within clinical areas and departments.

You will be confident working within and contributing to our ISO 9001:2015 accredited quality system.

We are a relatively small team of 9 engineers with mixed levels of responsibility. Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do and therefore conscientiousness and attention to detail are key skills within the team.

Our engineers are split between two workshops: a critical care workshop and a general workshop. You will be primarily based in the general workshop but should expect to rotate through both.

This is a rewarding role, engaged in important work that contributes to the safety of our patients.

About us

The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.

Job description

Job responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The job will be carried out with a large degree of autonomy, individual responsibility and personal accountability, unless otherwise stated. Support and advice in all areas will be available from the line manager as identified in the Organisational Chart or clinician.

The Organisational Chart shows the paths of responsibility and accountability of all posts within the Medical Engineering Group.

All duties will be carried out in accordance with NHS guidelines and departmental Quality Assurance (QA) systems and policies in order to ensure that equipment is maintained in an accurate and correctly functioning manner for the safety and benefit of all users and patients.

Medical Equipment Service and Maintenance

• Manage the service and clinical support activities of the Workshop / Team to meet clinical needs.
• Working in Critical Care patient areas throughout the Trust, providing technical support to clinicians, involving exposure to adverse emotional and environmental conditions.
• Troubleshooting on complex equipment whilst its connected to critically ill patients. Involving exposure to adverse emotional and environmental conditions.
• Prioritise workshop activities and utilise staff resources in accordance with section policies and competing service demands.

• Carry out Performance Assurance/QA checks (PPM) and precision repairs/calibration on highly complex multi-parameter medical equipment in a competent, professional manner, which demands good manual dexterity, sensory awareness, use of fine tools and components, in-depth fault analysis and diagnostic skills and the ability to maintain concentration through frequent interruptions, including requests for immediate assistance to clinicians, where the demand for safety, precision, timeliness and accurate documentation is paramount.

• Manage the planning/re-scheduling of PPM checks on equipment after maintenance/repairs.

• Order spares and maintain stock levels to minimise down-time and spares costs.

• Take an active role in the planned replacement and manage the decommissioning/disposal of equipment of a Section, advising on appropriate methods, mindful of risks and statutory requirements.
• Provide clinical or physiological support to the clinical staff in order to optimise patient monitoring outcomes.
• Must be prepared to work flexibly when working as part of the Radiotherapy Technical Services Group to support the needs of the service. This may include out of hours work, weekends and bank holidays
• Must be prepared to work at Satellite sites as required to support and manage device maintenance.
• Must be prepared to work a shift system when working as part of the Radiotherapy Technical Services Group
• Must be prepared to work across the Christie Network when working as part of the Radiotherapy Technical Services Group

Risk Management and Governance

• Undertake risk assessments where required.
• Exercise professional judgment when analysing the causes, circumstances and risks involved when equipment fails in service, advising users accordingly.
• Act on relevant MHRA bulletins and manufacturers updates, liaising with other healthcare professionals to ensure timely execution.
• Make decisions to withdraw safety-critical equipment from use where performance is below acceptable standards.
• Report and investigate clinical incidents/near misses using the appropriate mechanism (hospital incident reporting system), including participating in Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) reporting when necessary.
• Recommend/initiate immediate action to ensure safety and prevent further harm quarantine equipment and scenes in order to preserve evidence and document observations.

• Carry out all duties in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act, relevant statutory regulations, approved codes of conduct and local rules.
• Ensure compliance with the correct use of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other risk control measures, e.g. decontamination of equipment to minimise cross-infection risks to staff and patients, are used.
• Manage, assess and report on potential risks immediately, taking corrective action to manage incidents or risks to health, safety and security.
• Demonstrate and encourage good health, safety and security practices in the workplace.
• Duties may require the moving and lifting of heavy equipment and maneuvering around/ under it where safe lifting and handling techniques must be employed.
• Duties may involve the risk of exposure to dust, sharps, fumes, medical gases, chemical solvents, body fluids, electric shock, ionising radiation, strong magnetic fields and cramped/unpleasant working conditions where appropriate precautions/PPE must be used.

Quality and Performance

• Manage the quality of healthcare services, activities and outcomes by implementing appropriate aspects of quality assurance systems, actively developing quality policies, procedures and work instructions, and monitoring compliance with quality assurance.
• Ensure compliance with the maintenance and calibration of departmental test and measurement equipment in a Section, used to ensure the accuracy of medical devices.

• Maintain and promote the development of the departmental ISO Quality System, including carrying out audits of the service provided.

• Ensure all activities are carried out within a quality framework and meet regulatory requirements.
• Propose and author changes to working practices and departmental policies and procedures.

Finance

• Manage the efficient use of physical, staffing financial resources in order to meet the clinical needs

Contracts

• Monitor and liaise with contractors regarding managed service contracts to ensure their service commitments are accurately and acceptably performed

Data Management

• Maintain and verify adequate records of the Team, ensuring compliance with the departmental quality system, equipment management database, NHS and other statutory requirements.
• Quality Assurance and analysis of archived Patient or Clinical data of equipment used in Clinical areas in order to assist clinical staff

Procurement and Commissioning

• Manage the evaluation and commissioning process for new equipment, including the delivery of clinical user training.
• Test new equipment to ensure it meets all statutory, purchase and user requirements develop new test protocols as required and record onto the Trust asset inventory.
• Communicate with Suppliers and Equipment Users to resolve problems and identify training deficiencies prior to commissioning.
• Manage the new equipment evaluation and procurement process including determining the clinical requirement, potential users and proposed location designing appropriate evaluation procedures to effectively compare and assess products evaluating any installation needs and its impact upon the proposed location liaising with interested Parties

Staff Recruitment, Training and Development

• Participate in the Human Resource activities of the workshop in terms of performance, training, discipline, sickness absence monitoring, staff appraisal and, recruitment and selection processes.
• Communicate effectively on the use and application of complex technical equipment with professional users at all levels including patients/end users.

• Provide technical support and advice to professional users and develop ideas to overcome problems.
• Provide operational and technical service training to departmental staff, user training to other Trust staff, and develop support material as appropriate.

• Keep abreast of scientific, technological and clinical developments to maintain a level of technical competence and clinical awareness appropriate to current duties.
• Develop new knowledge and competences in line with departmental requirements.
• Produce and maintain a Personal Professional Portfolio, giving evidence of Continuing Professional Development and competence.
• Design and deliver structured training courses on effective equipment use to staff at all levels in the clinical areas covered.
• Will be an IPEM Supervisor for the Clinical Technology Training Scheme
• Will be an IPEM Moderator for the Clinical Technology Training Scheme
• Will actively promote professional registration within the department

Other

The job description indicates the duties and responsibilities that are appropriate to meet the present needs of the service. Since these needs may change, as may the resources of staff and material available, it is necessary to recognise that the employee must be willing to undertake other and/or different duties that may, after discussion, be assigned by the Radiotherapy Physics Technical Services Group Leader or his/her deputy.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• HNC/ Degree level qualification in relevant engineering discipline
• Masters equivalent level specialist training in medical technology engineering
• Registered clinical Technologist (or meets registration requirements)
• Management training

Desirable

• Incorporated Status with registered Engineering Council UK professional body

Experience

Essential

• Substantial post-graduate / post-qualification medical equipment maintenance experience working in a relevant healthcare environment
• Several years' supervisory experience.
• Specialist equipment training on complex multi-parameter medical equipment

Desirable

• Audit Experience
• Procurement Experience
• Multi-disciplina
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