Senior Clinical Engineer

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, (LGT), is a community-focused provider of local and acute care, delivering high-quality services to over one million people living across the London boroughs of Lewisham, Greenwich, and Bexley. We provide whole-life care and are here to support our communities to live healthier lives as well as taking care of them when they need us the most.

Employing almost 7,500 colleagues, affectionately known as Team LGT, we provide services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, University Hospital Lewisham, and at over a dozen community settings in Lewisham. We also provide some services at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup.

We have recently launched our new vision and values to mark the LGT10 - the tenth anniversary of our Trust forming in 2013. Our trust vision is to be exceptional. In the quality of our patient care; our support for colleagues; and in the difference we make through our partnerships and in our communities.

To achieve this we value Respect, Compassion, and Inclusion; Being accountable over staying comfortable; Listening over always knowing best; and Succeeding together over achieving alone. You can read more about our visions and values here.

Our hospitals and community sites provide a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services, as well as emergency and planned care. The Trust is rated as "good" or "outstanding" in over three-quarters of the services inspected by the Care Quality Commission.

Every year our work includes performing 10,000 procedures in our theatres; bringing seven and a half thousand new lives into the world; carrying out 570,000 visits to patients in their homes or communities and providing emergency care for more than 300,000 patients arriving in our busy Urgent and Emergency Departments.

LGT is a centre for the education and training of medical students enrolled with King's College London's GKT School of Medical Education. We are a training centre for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. We are pioneering new roles that will support the changing needs of our patients and are one of the largest employers of physician associates in the country.

We are committed to working with our partners to deliver the best outcomes for our local communities. This means playing an active role in the South East London Integrated Care System (ICS), and in formal partnerships including the South East London Acute Provider Collaborative, provider partnerships with our local mental health trusts and borough-based boards of the ICS in Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham.

Job overview

PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT APPLY

Do you work as a Clinical Engineer in a field involving medical devices within the NHS?

Do you enjoy working in a healthcare environment with opportunities to interact with clinical staff and fellow colleagues, and making an impact on how medical devices are managed?

If so, applications are invited for the post of Senior Clinical Engineer - Medical Devices to support a progressive Clinical Devices Team across Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.

This is an on-site role which requires the post holder to be on Trust site Mon-Fri 7.5hrs per day.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a highly skilled, motivated and experienced Clinical Engineer to join the friendly team. Applicants should have extensive experience in planning, monitoring and delivery of operational activities involving medical devices within the NHS. They are expected to have a high-level of understanding of a range of medical device operation & application, and possess effective report writing and presentation skills.

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic candidate to work closely with the Clinical Devices Team to provide operational management of medical devices across the Trust. You will be a proactive and flexible professional who is able to bring about positive change through effective influence and negotiation.

Working for our organisation

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

1. Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
2. Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
3. Improving the experience of staff with disability
4. Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
5. Making equalities mainstream

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

General Duties

1. Working to the Trust's rolling 5-year medical device plan. Adjusting and prioritising tasks to meet organisational requirements
2. To rationalise the equipment inventory to enforce standardisation and remove redundant items
3. Management of external contracts including managed equipment services/PFI, lease equipment and other contracts
4. Responsible for purchasing designated assets or arranging contracts
5. Provide advice, contribute and write relevant departmental business cases
6. As requested by management, produce complex management reports which may require skills in negotiation and diplomacy where outcomes are contentious, both internal and external to the Trust
7. These reports may be complex and time sensitive and/or contentious. The quality of the reports is to be at Trust Board level
8. Appraisal and audit of both new and existing service contracts, ensuring that all medical devices have quality maintenance cover where required
9. Development and maintenance of all work in line with MHRA and ISO quality system requirements
10. Monitor and resolve regulatory and CAS alerts
11. Produce and maintain documentation relevant to incident investigations and advise on Risks
12. Develop and manage medical devices governance processes, and support Regulatory inquiries
13. Advise and support risk assessment processes relating to clinical devices and decontamination
14. Assist Wards/Departments to implement Trust policy for clinical device management and training them in its use
15. Liaise with Wards, providing expert advice on appropriate use of clinical devices
16. Provide expert advice in relation to medical devices to Medical Device Team, Trust Management, Procurement staff and other Committees
17. Identify the need for new instrumentation or equipment for use in the Trust. Produce specifications for items of equipment, for purchase or construction in-house
18. Working in conjunction with procurement to carry out evaluation of medical devices, engage end user feedback and complete assessments
19. Work collaboratively to develop and undertake audits in order to improve the effective use and maintenance of medical devices
20. Monitor the effectiveness of related policies and protocols. Routinely reviewing, proposing and implementing changes which may impact beyond own area of activity
21. To undertake audits of Wards and other clinical areas on the implementation of the clinical devices policy
22. To work autonomously to achieve the expected results, guided by relevant UK standards and regulations, adhering to Trust Policies and Values
23. Perform other duties which may be required by the line manager

Specialist Duties

1. To provide expert advice and support on highly specialised imaging technology, equipment and systems
2. To conduct evaluations contribute to technical specifications of systems & contracts
3. To arrange, monitor & manage maintenance and servicing contracts of imaging & other identified items of equipment. Regularly holding performance reviews and updating senior managers in the Trust
4. Involved in medical equipment installation, acceptance, commissioning, calibration, quality assurance and quality control
5. Review maintenance reports & external consultancy findings, and support Trust imaging department with its implementation when required
6. Lead investigations into medical device performance issues, image quality issues or any other issues, present solutions and implement remedial actions
7. Investigate and resolve complex equipment problems. Liaise with suppliers and end users regarding equipment breakdown, and regularly update senior managers and divisional directors where required
8. Carry out or assist with risk assessments in relation to highly specialised medical equipment
9. To support all RPA services/partners and advisors across all Trust sites

Managerial

1. Prioritise and manage own work within set parameters. Respond in a timely manner to requests for advice and assistance by others, using own judgment to prioritise the request against existing workload
2. Manage tasks and responsibilities associated with any of the duties listed above. Supervise staff as required, including trainees
3. Ensure efficient and effective use of resources. Adjust plans as required in response to changing demands and priorities
4. To line manage designated staff including temporary staff between AFC Band 1-7
5. To deputise for appropriate Senior staff when required.

Financial

1. To minimise financial costs by safe and effective use of high capital value equipment (in excess of £50,000)
2. Responsible for purchasing delegated assets or arranging contracts in excess of £5,000, and to keep within delegated costs.

1. Effective strategic and business management of clinical devices throughout their complete life cycle.

1. Participate in the standardisation of all clinical device/equipment purchases, including durables.

1. Analyse business processes to deliver cost saving improvements (CIPs)

Teaching and Research & Development

1. To teach and train students, trainee Clinical Engineers/technologists and new starters
2. To develop training programmes for staff when required
3. To train clinical staff on use of medical devices when required
4. To participate in teaching programmes and presentations as and when required by the department
5. Develop, validate and implement new test and analysis methodologies. Develop appropriate documentation and provide training as required
6. Undertake research & development, following a programme agreed with line manager
7. Liaise with clinicians, and other clinical staff to provide expert scientific advice and support for clinical research programme
8. To maintain skills and afford development of practical and theoretical skills required for the post. Maintain professional registration status.

Key Working Relationships

1. Develop internal and external networks and relationships with all areas and colleagues as appropriate
2. To communicate and liaise effectively with Service Line and other hospital staff at all levels

• Senior Trust Managers
• Doctors & Consultants
• Nursing Staff
• Non-clinical Staff
• Scientific & Technical Staff
• Procurement & Supplies
• Finance
• Estates/PFI
• Governance
• Manufacturers/Suppliers
• Other NHS & Private Healthcare Providers
• MHRA
• CQC

1. Forms of communication with the above will be both verbal and written - e-mail, letters, reports and presentations. The level of complexity of information conveyed will be complex and at times sensitive (e.g. Commercial in Confidence, contentious).

Person specification

Qualifications & Training

Essential criteria

• Relevant undergraduate degree or equivalence in Medical Physics or Biomedical Engineering.
• Master's degree or equivalence in Medical Physics or Biomedical Engineering.
• Successful completion of post graduate training in Medical Physics or Clinical Engineering

Desirable criteria

• Membership of a relevant professional body.
• State Registration as Clinical Scientist in Medical Physics or Clinical Engineering

Knowledge & Experience

Essential criteria

• Minimum 3 years post training experience at AfC Band 7 working in a Clinical Engineering or Medical Physics role within the NHS.
• Expert knowledge and extensive practical experience of medical devices technologies, safety issues and quality assurance.
• Specialist knowledge across a range of working procedures and practices in Medical Physics, building on theoretical knowledge and practical experience.
• Advance understanding of patient and staff risks arising from use of complex medical devices.
• Advanced proven knowledge of relevant legislation, national standards, professional and other guidelines.
• Proven experience in negotiating, arranging and monitoring of contracts.
• Experience in planning/decision making
• Experience in implementing organisation change
• Experience in working within tight budgets with awareness of value for money.
• Experience in interpreting complex information and communicating, both verbally and in writing.
• Able to convey and to receive accurate and clear instructions and training, to and from staff, colleagues and others
• Experience in managing and supervising students/trainees, or own staff and others.
• Experience in auditing own work and that of others and implementing recommendation.
• Able to use specific complex software as required [e.g. computational image processing software, etc.].
• Understanding of research matters including study design, funding and ethical issues.
• Previous investigative and technical report writing experience with regards to medical device performance or adverse incident related issues.
• Experiencing in writing technical specifications including imaging equipment e.g. CT, MRI etc.
• Experience in completing medical device trials and evaluations.
• Experience in policy development
• Experience in coping with pressures, demands and ambiguities whiles striving to achieve results.
• Confidence in the use of numerical and technical data.
• Positive, enabling attitude combined with good influencing and negotiating skills.

Desirable criteria

• Able to negotiate with external partners.
• Scientific publications in journals
• Practical experience in at least one branch of ionising physics.

We reserve the right to close the post before the stated closing date, please apply early. We do not contact applicants with the outcome of the shortlisting. If you have been shortlisted, you will receive an invite to an assessment day or interview.

As a local employer and anchor institution we work closely with our community to recruit locally and we welcome applications from the widest variety of people to ensure our workforce are reflective of the local communities which we serve. We encourage all suitable candidates to apply including if you are Black, Asian or other ethnic minorities, live with a disability (visible or not) or are LGBT+. We have a number of active staff networks including Disability, LGBT+, Multicultural Inclusion and Women's staff networks to bring staff together and celebrate diversity across our whole workforce.

Please note, not all roles will meet the criteria for a skilled worker visa.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

• Job Description & Person Spec (PDF, 368.5KB)
• Working at LGT (PDF, 4.2MB)