MTS Health | Apprenticeships
Back to values
image alt text

Apprenticeships

MTS Launches the Paul Austin Clinical Engineering Apprentice of the Year Award.

This award was set up to recognise the importance of investing in Apprentices across the Clinical Engineering Industry recognising that both the NHS and Private Sector deliver these vital services. The award is sponsored and administered by MTS Health and the first event was hosted by the EBME Expo in 2023.

To ensure a wide selection of applicants from across the NHS and private sector clinical engineering community, the evaluation and selection will be from the following organisations and personnel who have given their time freely to participate

  • Martin Lucey - Head of Clinical Engineering - Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust
  • Adam Chec – Clinical Engineering Apprentice Scheme Manager Barts Health NHS Trust
  • Julie Austin – Apprenticeship Training JBM Associates
  • Nana Odom - Head of Clinical Engineering
  • Cleveland Clinic London
  • Andrew Frost – Director of Technical Services and Apprentices, MTS Health Ltd
  • Dr John Sandham - Chair of EBME

We have shortlisted a number of candidates from across the NHS and Private Sector for 2024, the winner to be announced at the industry’s EBME conference on 29th June 2024.

MTS invests in Level 3 and Level 6 Apprenticehips

The role of Clinical Engineering in support of the NHS came into sharp focus during the COVID-19 Pandemic and has shone a light on this essential profession. There is a shortage of Clinical Engineers and an ageing workforce with fewer and fewer recruits. The industry is having to move quickly with an ever increasing portfolio of connected devices and interfaces to the Electronic Patient Record (EPR). These skills are moving Clinical Engineering into greater depth with Trust ICT departments and detailed knowledge of software. The MHRA requires all staff to be appropriately trained. The investment from the NHS and private sector companies into Apprenticeships for Clinical Engineers is now paramount. The focus into ensuring succession planning; greater ICT skills; the implications to cyber security, knowledge of Net Zero Carbon and other sustainability related issues will mean a shift in the knowledge base of Clinical Engineering. Attracting more recruits and raising the status of the personnel working within it is an import shift post-pandemic. Putting the clinical back into Clinical Engineering; the training of clinical colleagues on key equipment e.g. ventilators; whilst recognising that there are multiple levels of opportunity, including attracting young people who have practical skills and can be attracted in to the profession with support from structured courses. There is a significant requirement for practical planned maintenance skills that require a different level of skills and training. Raising the profile; paying the appropriate levels for the skills and joint collaboration between the NHS and Private Sector companies that have access to the Apprenticeship Levy, give opportunities help plug the emerging gap in this profession, and provide a long-term career path. Given that so many EBME / Clinical Engineering departments are managed under Estates , the discussion will focus on what more can be achieved to build the skills necessary to deliver resilient services in to the future.