CLINICAL ENGINEERING ARTICLES

In an increasingly complex healthcare landscape, what role can clinical engineers have in supporting ‘development through innovation’? Experts at the National Performance Advisory Group’s Clinical Engineering Conference came together to discuss the challenges and opportunities in equipping hospitals with advanced, connected technologies.

At EBME 2025, a key topic of discussion was the need to track and manage medical technologies and patients in healthcare environments. Effective tracking could save the NHS vast sums of money at a time when finances are constrained, improve the management of patient flow and, most importantly, enhance patient safety.

EBME 2025 provided a platform to discuss the future direction of clinical engineering – from career development, to professional registration and the need for independent oversight. Clinical engineers will have a vital role in influencing sustainability, patient safety, and navigating rapid technological change. To meet the challenges head on, the sector must ensure it has a powerful voice and lead the way.

Professor John Sandham, Chair of the EBME Expo, provides an insight into the hidden threats in healthcare, arising from the misuse or failure of medical equipment. EBME Expo will shine a light on the importance of medical equipment governance and how we can drive improvement, going forward.

Global Clinical Engineering Day is a worldwide celebration which recognises the contributions of clinical engineers to healthcare and is celebrated on 21 October. In this Q&A, the Chair of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) Clinical Engineering Special Interest Group, Dr. Victoria Kidgell, shares her insights.

Bridging the divide between IT and EBME will be vital for the digital future of the NHS, along with raising awareness of the profession to the next generation. These and other challenges were among the hot topics discussed at a thought leadership workshop at EBME Expo. Louise Frampton reports.

The NHS is responsible for 4% of England’s carbon emissions and NHS England has pledged to achieve Net Zero by 2045, with Scotland and Wales setting similar targets. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers has published a report highlighting the fact that engineers are essential at every level of healthcare to achieve this ambition. CSJ provides an overview of the report.