meeting of Authorising Engineers (MGPS) – all members of IHEEM’s register for such personnel – held in London recently saw a variety of topics discussed, a work plan agreed for the forthcoming year, and our two overseas members from Germany.
Christian Graack and Jörn Grüneberg, bring an overseas perspective on the role of the Authorising Engineer and the implementation of the technical guidance developed in the UK (HTM 02-01 Parts A&B) and the associated international standards, writes Bill Millar. A number of actions were agreed, including:
• Raising awareness across the NHS and the private sector of the role of the registered Authorising Engineer, and the benefits such personnel can bring to an organisation.
• Developing new workstreams for the MGPS Technical Platform, with an emphasis on:
•Design support.
•Training.
•Providing expert advice.
• Expanding the AE appointments panel and Technical Platform to include representatives from all the devolved authorities, and, in particular, Wales and Northern Ireland (currently Scotland is represented).
• Working with IHEEM on the review of HTMs.
• Developing a collaborative approach to standardising audit procedures for AEs.
• Publishing articles in HEJ on the work of the Technical Platform, with an emphasis on the work carried out by individual registered Authorising Engineers.
Attendees were: Mike Arrowsmith AE (MGPS), Panel Member; IHEEM CEO, Julian Amey; Mike Ralph AE (MGPS), Panel Member, and chair of the Medical Gas Technical Platform; Bill Millar (AE MGPS), Panel Member; and Registered AEs (MGPS) Steve Goddard, Peter Williams, Graeme Dunn, Ian Sanford, Lyndon Saul, and, from Germany, Christian Graack and Jörn Grüneberg, both employees of Dräger Medical.
