The report’s authors argue that every trust should appoint a chief biomedical engineer to co-ordinate and plan how trusts use technology.
“It’s vital that engineers are involved in the procurement, use and maintenance of biomedical equipment,” said Helen Meese, head of engineering in society at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). “In order to reap the full benefits that technology can offer, the people who design, make and maintain these pieces of equipment need to be heard.”
Speaking at the report's launch, Meese referenced a recent report by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) report that claims more than 300 deaths in 2013 could be attributed to faulty equipment. Other situations have involved simple miscalibration of weighing scales, leading to the wrong calculations for treatment dosages, according to one of the report’s authors, Patrick Finlay, chairman...