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Apprenticeship training course

Healthcare engineering specialist technician (level 3)

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Information about Healthcare engineering specialist technician (level 3)

To ensure service continuity for specialist healthcare medical devices or healthcare estates.

Knowledge, skills and behaviours
View knowledge, skills and behaviours

Knowledge

  • Engineering function in the healthcare sector; roles, duties, interdependencies and reporting channels. Types of employers. Supply chain. Audits. Stakeholder requirements and priorities including the importance of continuity of service. Principles of clinical governance; its benefits for patients and staff.
  • Technological development and innovation in the healthcare engineering sector. Industry 4.0. IT networking.
  • Working in a clinical environment. The patient’s journey. Patient contact protocols. Patient safety, dignity, respect, confidentiality and Caldicott requirements. Personal health and safety when working in the clinical environment.
  • Engineering standards and regulations. British Standards (BS). International Organisation for Standardisation standards (ISO). European Norm (EN). Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). What they are and how to use them.
  • Healthcare engineering industry regulations and guidelines. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency regulations. Care Quality Commission regulations. Health Technical Memorandums (HTMs). What they are and how to use them.
  • Health and safety regulations. Health and Safety at Work Act. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (CoSHH). Working in confined spaces. Lone working. Provision of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER). Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER). Electrical safety and compliance. Noise regulation. L8 Legionella. Slips trips and falls. Display Screen Equipment. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). What they are and how to use them.
  • Health and safety requirements: manual handling, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), risk assessments and method statements, specialist healthcare PPE, clinical risk assessments, signage and barriers.
  • Environmental regulations and requirements. Environmental Protection Act. Sustainability. Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE). Hazardous waste regulations. Re-cyclable materials and waste disposal procedures. Energy monitoring. Data logging to optimise energy performance. The Climate Change Agreements. Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC). What they are and how to use them.
  • Planning techniques, time management, workflow, work scheduling, work plans and documents. Work categorisation systems.
  • Communication techniques: verbal, written, electronic. Matching style to audience. Barriers in communication and how to overcome them. Engineering terminology.
  • Report writing.
  • Information technology: email, word processing, spreadsheets, work management systems.
  • Documentation methods and requirements - electronic and paper. For example, job records, timekeeping, service reports, checklists and condemn notices.
  • Data protection requirements: General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Information governance. Removal of patient identifiable data.
  • Team working techniques. Equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
  • Training, mentoring and coaching techniques. How to pass on knowledge and provide guidance to customers or stakeholders.
  • Financial constraints. Service level agreements.
  • Machinery, tools, and equipment used in healthcare engineering. Purpose, safe correct use, maintenance, carriage and storage.
  • Calibrated equipment requirements including calibration certificates.
  • Stock and services considerations. Availability, stock lead times. Correct handling. The identification of equipment and parts. Function of parts, spares and components. Stock value. Faulty stock process. Returns process. Salvageability of parts to be removed.
  • Manufacturers’ instructions: what they are and how to use them. Warranties: what they are and impact on engineering work.
  • Statutory certificates including electricity certificates, theatre validations.
  • Engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information.
  • Engineering mathematical and scientific principles: calculations, conversions, flow rates and equipment sizing.
  • Engineering materials and their properties; impact on use.
  • Mechanical principles: motion and mechanics, storage and transfer of forces and energy in operation, motors and pumps.
  • Electrical and electronic principles: principles of electricity and electronics, electric circuit theory, motors and pumps.
  • Mechatronics principles: key components of integrated mechanical and electrical systems; their design and operation.
  • Control systems principles.
  • Energy consumption and usage profiling.
  • Fault finding and problem solving techniques: diagnostics, troubleshooting and testing for minor faults for example, component failure in system or circuit, lighting or socket failure, transformer issues, fire alarm system errors. Common causes of faults.
  • Quality assurance principles and practice. Record keeping.
  • Continuous improvement principles and practices for the benefit of the organisation, patient, client, or work process. For example, Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen.
  • Medical protocols for infection prevention and biohazard control for example, cleaning and disinfection of tools, pre-work disinfection requirements, decontamination prior to disposal.
  • Installation, commissioning and decommissioning practices and techniques.
  • Maintenance practices and techniques: planned, preventative and predictive methods and frequency, and reactive.
  • Repair practices and techniques.
  • Option 1. Healthcare medical devices technician: Purpose and operation of devices and impact on service continuity: •diagnostic and therapeutic equipment: anaesthetic machines, patient ventilators, and critical life support machines •operating theatre and pathology equipment •monitoring and infusion devices •portable imaging equipment and scanners including hand, CT (Computerised Tomography) and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) •renal dialysis equipment •gas delivery systems •assistive technology.
  • Option 1. Healthcare medical devices technician: Physiology and anatomy in relation to medical equipment.
  • Option 1. Healthcare medical devices technician: BS EN 60601 and BS EN 62353 Safety testing of medical electrical equipment and medical electrical systems.
  • Option 1. Healthcare medical devices technician: Quality control systems: medical devices directive, lifecycle management and hazard notices.
  • Option 1. Healthcare medical devices technician: Networking and integration of healthcare medical devices - requirements for network connections between devices or systems.
  • Engineering function in the healthcare sector; roles, duties, interdependencies and reporting channels. Types of employers. Supply chain. Audits. Stakeholder requirements and priorities including the importance of continuity of service. Principles of clinical governance; its benefits for patients and staff.
  • Technological development and innovation in the healthcare engineering sector. Industry 4.0. IT networking.
  • Working in a clinical environment. The patient’s journey. Patient contact protocols. Patient safety, dignity, respect, confidentiality and Caldicott requirements. Personal health and safety when working in the clinical environment.
  • Engineering standards and regulations. British Standards (BS). International Organisation for Standardisation standards (ISO). European Norm (EN). Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). What they are and how to use them.
  • Healthcare engineering industry regulations and guidelines. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency regulations. Care Quality Commission regulations. Health Technical Memorandums (HTMs). What they are and how to use them.
  • Health and safety regulations. Health and Safety at Work Act. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (CoSHH). Working in confined spaces. Lone working. Provision of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER). Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER). Electrical safety and compliance. Noise regulation. L8 Legionella. Slips trips and falls. Display Screen Equipment. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). What they are and how to use them.
  • Health and safety requirements: manual handling, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), risk assessments and method statements, specialist healthcare PPE, clinical risk assessments, signage and barriers.
  • Environmental regulations and requirements. Environmental Protection Act. Sustainability. Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE). Hazardous waste regulations. Re-cyclable materials and waste disposal procedures. Energy monitoring. Data logging to optimise energy performance. The Climate Change Agreements. Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC). What they are and how to use them.
  • Planning techniques, time management, workflow, work scheduling, work plans and documents. Work categorisation systems.
  • Communication techniques: verbal, written, electronic. Matching style to audience. Barriers in communication and how to overcome them. Engineering terminology.
  • Report writing.
  • Information technology: email, word processing, spreadsheets, work management systems.
  • Documentation methods and requirements - electronic and paper. For example, job records, timekeeping, service reports, checklists and condemn notices.
  • Data protection requirements: General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Information governance. Removal of patient identifiable data.
  • Team working techniques. Equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
  • Training, mentoring and coaching techniques. How to pass on knowledge and provide guidance to customers or stakeholders.
  • Financial constraints. Service level agreements.
  • Machinery, tools, and equipment used in healthcare engineering. Purpose, safe correct use, maintenance, carriage and storage.
  • Calibrated equipment requirements including calibration certificates.
  • Stock and services considerations. Availability, stock lead times. Correct handling. The identification of equipment and parts. Function of parts, spares and components. Stock value. Faulty stock process. Returns process. Salvageability of parts to be removed.
  • Manufacturers’ instructions: what they are and how to use them. Warranties: what they are and impact on engineering work.
  • Statutory certificates including electricity certificates, theatre validations.
  • Engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information.
  • Engineering mathematical and scientific principles: calculations, conversions, flow rates and equipment sizing.
  • Engineering materials and their properties; impact on use.
  • Mechanical principles: motion and mechanics, storage and transfer of forces and energy in operation, motors and pumps.
  • Electrical and electronic principles: principles of electricity and electronics, electric circuit theory, motors and pumps.
  • Mechatronics principles: key components of integrated mechanical and electrical systems; their design and operation.
  • Control systems principles.
  • Energy consumption and usage profiling.
  • Fault finding and problem solving techniques: diagnostics, troubleshooting and testing for minor faults for example, component failure in system or circuit, lighting or socket failure, transformer issues, fire alarm system errors. Common causes of faults.
  • Quality assurance principles and practice. Record keeping.
  • Continuous improvement principles and practices for the benefit of the organisation, patient, client, or work process. For example, Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen.
  • Medical protocols for infection prevention and biohazard control for example, cleaning and disinfection of tools, pre-work disinfection requirements, decontamination prior to disposal.
  • Installation, commissioning and decommissioning practices and techniques.
  • Maintenance practices and techniques: planned, preventative and predictive methods and frequency, and reactive.
  • Repair practices and techniques.
  • Option 2. Healthcare estates technician: Purpose and operation of estates; interconnections of systems and impact on service continuity: •critical theatre ventilation systems •life-critical medical electrical distribution for healthcare estates with back-up generators - Isolated Power Supply (IPS) and Uninterruptible Power pipeline Supply (UPS) •medical gas systems and medical air and vacuum •critical resilience back-up systems •high pressure gas supplies •high vacuum systems •medical sterilisation systems including sterlizers, washer disinfectors and ultrasonic cleaners •steam systems (clean steam, sterilisation) •hot and cold water systems •lifts (safety checks and safe rescue) and patient hoists •nurse call systems •fire safety systems •foul and storm drains •heat, light and power systems, including boilers •energy management systems •catering equipment maintenance •domestic services and portering equipment •security equipment maintenance.
  • Healthcare estates technician. Estates engineering industry regulations and guidelines. Health Building Notes. Premises Assurance Model (PAM). What they are and how to use them.
  • Option 2. Healthcare estates technician: Estates Health and safety regulations and requirements. Asbestos awareness. Working at height. Permits to work. Safety passports. Vehicle safety. Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR). Construction Skills Certification Scheme compliance. EH40 workplace exposure limits. Building Management System (BMS). Site survey requirements and processes. What they are and how to use them. Limits of role and role of specialist contractors on medical gas systems.
  • Option 2. Healthcare estates technician: System resilience. Site wide energy infrastructure and the associated resilience needed to ensure continuity of service. Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), Generators, Dual fuel systems.

Skills

  • Plan and schedule own and others’ work.
  • Monitor, obtain and check stock and supplies, and complete returns.
  • Check tools and equipment including calibration records of test equipment where applicable. Complete maintenance of tools and equipment including calibration where required.
  • Select and use hand tools, specialist tools and instruments including electrical safety test equipment.
  • Store tools and equipment.
  • Identify and document risks and hazards in the workplace. Advise on and apply control measures.
  • Comply with health and safety regulations, legislation, and safe working practices including signage and barriers.
  • Comply with any clinical restrictions in work area. For example, wearing healthcare PPE.
  • Comply with statutory and organisation environmental and sustainability requirements: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources.
  • Follow manufacturers’ instructions and procedures.
  • Follow standard operating procedures.
  • Read and interpret information. For example, text, data, engineering drawings, job card, work instructions, risk assessments, method statements, operation manuals.
  • Collect and record data. For example, energy usage, test results.
  • Communicate with colleagues and stakeholders for example, patients, colleagues, managers,’ and the public – verbal, written or electronic. Use sector/industry terminology where appropriate.
  • Negotiate with stakeholders such as clinical team or authorised person. For example, to access equipment or arrange system outage.
  • Identify and report on progress and issues or concerns where applicable.
  • Provide information, guidance, or training to colleagues or stakeholders. For example, clinical staff.
  • Write reports. For example, adverse incident reports, technical investigations, equipment appraisals and specifications, improvement suggestions.
  • Use information technology. For example, for document creation, communication, and information management.
  • Enter information to record work activity. For example, job sheets, risk assessments, equipment service records, test results, handover documents and manufacturers' documentation, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records and any legal reporting requirements.
  • Lock off and isolate equipment or systems.
  • Assess condition of components and equipment. Identify action required.
  • Apply maintenance practices and techniques. For example, clean, lubricate, replace parts.
  • Use troubleshooting equipment and apply fault-finding and diagnostic testing procedures to identify faults.
  • Replace, fit and repair components.
  • Test and check equipment or system against quality and operational parameters.
  • Use washer disinfectors, steam sterilisers or alternatives to decontaminate healthcare equipment and maintenance tools and equipment.
  • Restore the work area on completion of the activity. Return resources and consumables.
  • Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.
  • Complete commissioning checks.
  • Assemble, position and fix equipment or components.
  • Disconnect and remove equipment or components. Categorise equipment and components for re-use, disposal, or re-cycling. Complete storage measures to prevent deterioration.
  • Option 1: Healthcare medical devices technician. Calibrate healthcare equipment.
  • Plan and schedule own and others’ work.
  • Monitor, obtain and check stock and supplies, and complete returns.
  • Check tools and equipment including calibration records of test equipment where applicable. Complete maintenance of tools and equipment including calibration where required.
  • Select and use hand tools, specialist tools and instruments including electrical safety test equipment.
  • Store tools and equipment.
  • Identify and document risks and hazards in the workplace. Advise on and apply control measures.
  • Comply with health and safety regulations, legislation, and safe working practices including signage and barriers.
  • Comply with any clinical restrictions in work area. For example, wearing healthcare PPE.
  • Comply with statutory and organisation environmental and sustainability requirements: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources.
  • Follow manufacturers’ instructions and procedures.
  • Follow standard operating procedures.
  • Read and interpret information. For example, text, data, engineering drawings, job card, work instructions, risk assessments, method statements, operation manuals.
  • Collect and record data. For example, energy usage, test results.
  • Communicate with colleagues and stakeholders for example, patients, colleagues, managers,’ and the public – verbal, written or electronic. Use sector/industry terminology where appropriate.
  • Negotiate with stakeholders such as clinical team or authorised person. For example, to access equipment or arrange system outage.
  • Identify and report on progress and issues or concerns where applicable.
  • Provide information, guidance, or training to colleagues or stakeholders. For example, clinical staff.
  • Write reports. For example, adverse incident reports, technical investigations, equipment appraisals and specifications, improvement suggestions.
  • Use information technology. For example, for document creation, communication, and information management.
  • Enter information to record work activity. For example, job sheets, risk assessments, equipment service records, test results, handover documents and manufacturers' documentation, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records and any legal reporting requirements.
  • Lock off and isolate equipment or systems.
  • Assess condition of components and equipment. Identify action required.
  • Apply maintenance practices and techniques. For example, clean, lubricate, replace parts.
  • Use troubleshooting equipment and apply fault-finding and diagnostic testing procedures to identify faults.
  • Replace, fit and repair components.
  • Test and check equipment or system against quality and operational parameters.
  • Use washer disinfectors, steam sterilisers or alternatives to decontaminate healthcare equipment and maintenance tools and equipment.
  • Restore the work area on completion of the activity. Return resources and consumables.
  • Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.
  • Complete commissioning checks.
  • Assemble, position and fix equipment or components.
  • Disconnect and remove equipment or components. Categorise equipment and components for re-use, disposal, or re-cycling. Complete storage measures to prevent deterioration.
  • Option 2: Healthcare estates technician. Design and cut, drill, weld as appropriate to produce basic parts, spares or components where consent to manufacture is given.

Behaviours

  • Patient focus. For example, aims to maintain continuity of service and improve service, sensitive to clinical environment and maintains patient confidentiality.
  • Prioritise health, safety, sustainability and the environment.
  • Act professionally representing employer well. For example, respectful, friendly, courteous, tactful, uses appropriate language, instils confidence. Take account of equality and diversity considerations. Act in a non-discriminatory manner.
  • Take responsibility. Completes work with minimal supervision. Knows own limitations and asks for help where needed.
  • Team player. Keeps colleagues informed. Supports colleagues to complete work and develop. Considers implications of their own actions on others in the team.
  • Adaptable. For example, responds positively to changing priorities and deadlines. Resilient under pressure. Manages multi-skilled tasks and works to deadlines.
  • Committed to continued professional development. Keeps up to date with developments in the engineering industry and healthcare sector.
  • Patient focus. For example, aims to maintain continuity of service and improve service, sensitive to clinical environment and maintains patient confidentiality.
  • Prioritise health, safety, sustainability and the environment.
  • Act professionally representing employer well. For example, respectful, friendly, courteous, tactful, uses appropriate language, instils confidence. Take account of equality and diversity considerations. Act in a non-discriminatory manner.
  • Take responsibility. Completes work with minimal supervision. Knows own limitations and asks for help where needed.
  • Team player. Keeps colleagues informed. Supports colleagues to complete work and develop. Considers implications of their own actions on others in the team.
  • Adaptable. For example, responds positively to changing priorities and deadlines. Resilient under pressure. Manages multi-skilled tasks and works to deadlines.
  • Committed to continued professional development. Keeps up to date with developments in the engineering industry and healthcare sector.
Apprenticeship category (sector)
Engineering and manufacturing
Qualification level
3
Equal to A level
Course duration
48 months
Maximum funding
£24,000
Maximum government funding for
apprenticeship training and assessment costs.
Job titles include
  • Medical engineering technician
  • Medical electronics technical
  • Biomedical technician
  • Clinical engineer
  • Medical electronics technician
  • Radiotherapy engineering technician
  • Multi-skilled craftsperson
  • Medical service engineer
  • Specialist craft person - electrical/mechanical
  • Dental engineering technician
  • Maintenance shift specialist
  • Maintenance craftsperson
  • Instrument curator
  • Building services technician

View more information about Healthcare engineering specialist technician (level 3) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.