EBME Leadership
– as the training is often better. Conversely, ‘everyday equipment’ tends to cause the most issues – agency staff are simply told, “Here you go; that’s the one you’re using today.” One of the delegates said they had “pushed
back heavily” when asked to provide user training, commenting that: “We know how the equipment works, but we’re not trained on how it is connected to the patient or used on the patient. In my view, clinical staff should be taught how to use the equipment at the same time as they are taught how to deliver care to the patient – that is what fully rounded training looks like.” Another issue highlighted by the group was the need to accommodate diversity in learning styles when delivering user training. “How do we cater for that within our teams and our customers and our colleagues?” one of the thought leaders questioned. The group discussed the need to report all medical equipment incidents through the “yellow card” system. The Trust’s governance group should look at these incidents and conduct analysis. Every Trust should have a Medical Device Safety Officer (MDSO), who will have a key role in this. They are required to: l Review all medical devices incident reports. l Ensure data quality for local and national learning.
l Where necessary investigate and get additional information from reporters.
However, Trusts need to take a pragmatic approach to investigations, as one delegate
highlighted: “A lot of incidents happen again; an investigation is not going to discover anything new…I think it’s about taking a patient-centred approach to investigations and making sure that you only investigate in depth where there is potential for new learning – it shouldn’t be a repeat waste of resources,” they commented. Standardisation in procurement in the NHS can help address some of the user issues, ensuring staff are familiar with the technology, rather than staff having to get to grips with a wide variety of devices. Manufacturers can also play their part by designing out the risk of user error, with human factors engineering at the forefront, and making devices easier to use. In recent years, we have seen the emergence of technologies, such as smart pumps, that are designed to reduce human errors, for example.
Towards a strategic “influence roadmap” Ultimately, the forum explored the need to redefine the professional identity of EBME / clinical engineering, ensuring the profession plays a strategic role in healthcare infrastructure planning. The group proposed that ‘Healthcare Technology Management’ should act as the central “gatekeeper” for all healthcare technology, ensuring devices remain clinically appropriate, interoperable, cyber-secure, and sustainable across their lifecycle. The forum emphasised the importance of
clinical engineers having a “seat at the top table”, similar to Ireland’s HSE model. Also, there
The HTM framework: activities & actors
Francis (Fran) Hegarty, a Consultant Clinical Engineer, presented a comprehensive Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) framework, highlighting the shift from purely technical maintenance to a strategic, activity-based discipline. His session highlighted the fact that ICT departments often focus on enterprise software (EHRs) but neglect the medical device space. HTM manages the integration engines that allow devices to communicate across disparate applications, e.g., smart operating theatres. Previous meetings have identified that
standardised definitions within the HTM arena are required, so his discussion outlined some of the following definitions: l Healthcare technology: The application of organised knowledge and skills in devices and systems to solve healthcare problems – includes clinical ICT systems and pharmaceuticals.
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l Medical device: Regulated articles or instruments used for medical purposes. Integration into clinical workflows brings them into the “medical device space.”
l Medical equipment: Subset of devices requiring calibration, maintenance, repair, and user training - typically managed directly by clinical engineers.
With regards to ‘HTM Activities and Actors’, he outlined the following: l Strategic gatekeeping: HTM is the central “gatekeeper” from planning to commissioning to ongoing value assessment.
l Actors: Include clinical engineers, medical physicists, ICT professionals, procurement teams, and suppliers.
l Training as core function: It was highlighted that 98% of patient harm (where medical devices are the cause) is user-related rather than maintenance-related.
should be a unified title, ‘Healthcare Technology Manager’, elevating visibility and strategic influence.
As the meeting drew to a close, four members
agreed to form a sub-group to produce a white paper for policy and lobbying purposes. These included: l John Sandham l Caroline Finlay l Fran Hegarty l David Atwell
The white paper will outline HTM frameworks, actor roles, and strategic recommendations to guide the NHS and suppliers in new hospital planning and operational excellence. The group agreed that the white paper initiative checklist should include: l Finalise invitee list: ensure representation from buyers, manufacturers (e.g., AXREM), ICT leads, and frontline clinicians.
l Professional body alignment: engage CEOs of IPEM, IHEEM, IMechE, and the IET for multi-institutional backing.
l Draft HTM standard: establish national job descriptions and activity maps based on the “activities versus actors” framework.
l Mandatory sign-off: advocate for mandatory review and sign-off for NHP contracts by qualified HTM experts to ensure connectivity and cyber security compliance.
l National reporting: work with the MHRA to regain access to incident data to better track safety improvements through training.
The White Paper will also advocate for: l Mandatory technical standards: ensuring SDC/GVA architectures are written into NHP contracts.
l The HTM sign-off: mandating that qualified HTM experts must review and approve all NHP equipment and connectivity contracts.
l Financial reform: lobbying the Treasury to resolve the leasing/balance sheet deadlock to allow for modern servitisation models.
Concluding, Professor John Sandham reiterated that the profession must raise its profile – the contribution of the sector is vital for the success of the New Hospitals Programme, initiatives such as the ‘hospital at home’, as well as the ‘digital hospital’ of the future. Many of the issues discussed during the EBME Leaders Forum will be further explored at the EBME Expo. With the theme ‘Connecting Care and Health Tech Infrastructure’, the event takes place at the Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry, 24-25 June 2026. For further information, visit: https://www.
ebme-expo.com/
CSJ
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