Independent medical gas consultancy and training provider MGPS Services (citing HSE data) says over 200 people are killed annually in accidents at work, and over one million injured.
With the law requiring employers to provide information, instruction, and training, to ensure, “so far as is reasonably practicable”, the health and safety of their employees, MGPS Services has high quality courses on all aspects of medical gas system use and management in a healthcare environment, “to encourage a culture with patient safety at its heart”. Working from Bristol and County Durham offices, the ISO 9001-registered company can provide “cost-effective” training encompassing both national and international guidance, tailored to customers’ individual needs, for staff including porters, nurses, Authorised Person (MGPS), Competent Persons (MGPS), Quality Controllers (MGPS), project managers, and designers. Courses range from one day “specials” to a full two-week Authorised Person (MGPS) course, offering a direct route to Engineering Technician registration. Training is also available at a dedicated technical training centre in Rowley Regis near Birmingham, where medical gas pipeline system installer Midland Medical has provided MGPS Services with a facility that offers healthcare engineering and pharmaceutical personnel a comprehensive array of medical gas systems and associated equipment on which trainees are introduced to the operational, safety, installation, and management requirements of HTM 02-01 and other pertinent legislation and guidance. The unit combines a fully equipped lecture room with practical training areas. MGPS company directors Steve Goddard and Peter Williams said: “The centre is used by such diverse organisations as the Norwegian military and the Pharmaceutical Technology and Quality Assurance Working Group – for Leeds University accredited, medical gas Quality Controller postgraduate courses. Here staff can be trained to work on, and with, live medical gas systems without concerns about patient safety.” Facilities include full-scale hospital oxygen concentrator and liquid oxygen systems. MGPS Services can also develop “bespoke solutions” based on individual or company training objectives, and provide training programmes to include either an organisation’s own systems and procedures, or other healthcare-specific technical training requirements.
