EBME
Diversity in EBME The question was also raised: do EBME departments reflect the diversity of the local communities in which they are based? “When I started working in EBME in a
previous Trust, the department was 100% white and 100% male. It didn’t represent the local community at all. So, we did some outreach with local schools and universities to get the message out there and it is now very different. But we still have under-representation of women in the role in our area – it is certainly not 50/50,” said Iain Threlkeld, as he steered the group on to the next topic. He asked the workshop to consider: how can we ensure EBME is visible and make the profession more attractive to a more diverse range of talent? One thought leader commented that women must know that there is a work/life balance in the profession, if we are to address diversity issues. It can also be challenging for women to return to work after a period of being away from the workforce, while they are raising a family. Sometimes there is an unwillingness to rehire them and this needs to be addressed. The group learned about a Women in
Engineering Forum initiative that is underway, to help make women in these careers more visible. One female clinical engineering lead observed that there is a lot of discussion about recruiting women, but we are not doing enough to retain women in the profession. Some women did not want to continue because of the ‘culture’ they experienced, she reported. However, not everyone around the table
felt there was a problem in terms of female representation in the profession, although they acknowledged that this may vary in other regions around the country. One female clinical engineering lead said she had been among the first female engineers to enter the sector. She felt that things had improved significantly and saw departments with a 50/50 male and female split.
Attracting younger generations The aforementioned clinical engineering lead added that there is now high awareness of the importance of diversity, and she was optimistic that the situation would “improve even further in the future”. The bigger issue, in her view, is getting young people interested in the first place – whatever their gender, background, religion or ethnicity. The group discussed the problems around the workforce shortage and agreed that encouraging young people into apprenticeships and getting the message out to schools at a much younger stage are vital to driving change. “You cannot wait until they are years into
their degree and then say, ‘how about clinical engineering?’” one of the thought leaders exclaimed. It was suggested that the sector should be speaking to children at around 8 years old – even leaving it to sixth form age is too late. Roadshows were suggested as a possible strategy to get young people interested in clinical engineering careers and to show them what clinical engineers do. Having young apprentices present at these open days was key, however. Young people visiting could relate and
talk to the apprentices, and this increased the engagement. Exposing young people to healthcare devices that they can get excited about - such as VR and robotics - could also be a great way to get them engaged and interested, at these awareness raising events. Social media could also have a role to play. “We need to think how we ‘rebrand’ as
EBME,” one thought leader asserted. One of the clinical engineering leads
reported that they were currently setting up an initiative with the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) to create promotional material to go into schools: “We are trying to get the message out there! We are doing videos, leaflets and outreach packs, and we are also discussing the possibility of having days where young people can come into the workshops,” she revealed. Another thought leader pointed out that
apprenticeships could be an attractive alternative to A’ Levels, at level three, but there are not enough providers across the country to ensure widespread access. Others pointed out that, when taking on a person at this school age for an apprenticeship, there are some considerations that departments need to be mindful of. Although these young people may be a great asset, they may be too young to go onto the wards, from a legal perspective, so they may have to stay in the workshop. It was pointed out that often many young people leave school and don’t really know what they want to do. They may only become drawn to engineering in their mid-20s – in this case, the level three apprenticeship can become a gateway. Furthermore, it was pointed out that not all young people consider themselves ‘degree material’. They should still be able to progress, nevertheless. One thought leader pointed out that she
had forged a career in EBME and was a manger by the time she was 27 years old, and yet she didn’t have a degree until she was 30. Not having a degree and choosing not to pursue an academic route should not be a barrier to progression in clinical engineering,
while some individuals may only want to carry out routine work – if this is the case, they need to know that this is an option. A clear career pathway and route map for progression is key, however. “There has always been a poor relationship between the professional qualifications out there, the engineering institutes, and the NHS,” one individual pointed out. They added that universities are often unaware of what the routes are; they are unable to advise people who are considering a career in clinical engineering, therefore. Internships were also suggested as a way of developing young people in the profession. One clinical engineering lead reported
that they held open days for school leavers and university students: “For those who are interested, we hold interviews and offer the opportunity to gain experience for up to a year. Although it is unpaid, it helps them to develop valuable skills and experience,” he commented.
Global Clinical Engineering Day One of the thought leaders asked the group if anyone had organised events around Global Clinical Engineering Day, which is celebrated on 21st October each year. Only three individuals said they had. It was clear that there needs to be greater awareness of the initiative and it was suggested that it could provide a valuable opportunity for the sector to ‘shout about the profession’. One individual (who had raised the issue) said that they were planning to have a stand in the hospital lobby and will be showing people how they test equipment. “If we could utilise some of these global and national drives, there is so much we could achieve,” she commented. “One of the problems we have is that we do not tell people who we are. We hide in the basement, and we do not talk to people. If we don’t talk to people, they won’t want to come and join us. We need to let them know we are here, that we are interesting, and we do amazing things!”
CSJ
The group discussed a range of other issues during the workshop and this article highlights just some of the hot topics raised at the event. The session took place at the EBME Expo, held on 26th & 27th June, at the Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry, UK. CSJ will be providing further in-depth coverage of the conference to coincide with the celebration of Global Clinical Engineering Day in October. For further information on the 2025 EBME Expo, visit: https://ebme-
expo.com/
September 2024 I
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