About this role
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a full-time Rehabilitation Engineer to join our small, friendly and hard-working team completing assessment and provision of mobility and seating equipment for children and adults. The role is well suited to an experienced Rehabilitation Engineer or Clinical Scientist.
The post is based between the wheelchair service localities in Horsham, Brighton and Bognor and includes remote, clinic and community working. The successful applicant will have a practical, organised and flexible approach to working. Experience with design and manufacture of bespoke equipment is essential. The successful applicant will have the ability to communicate well with people of all ages and needs and have insight and understanding of the challenges faced by our service users.
Full induction will be provided. A full valid driving licence is essential, as is the ability to work well alone and within a team.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will:
a) Have clinical and technical knowledge in the fields of wheelchair and special seating engineering.
b) Prescribe equipment to wheelchair users (e.g., manual and electrically powered wheelchairs, buggies, seating systems and accessories). This involves working in a technical-clinical capacity and includes client assessment, analysis, the costing of equipment, report writing, equipment prescription, equipment design and commissioning, delivery to the client and review.
c) Provide support to the Rehabilitation Engineering Manager and the management team in service development, new contract tenders and ongoing supervision of the current maintenance contractor
About us
We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.
Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.
Why work for us?o Positive 2024 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeingo Varied environments: community hospitals, patients' homes, and bases across Sussexo Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retiremento Excellent training, development, and research opportunitieso Accredited Living Wage Employer, we ensure fair pay for all our staffo Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brightono Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networkso Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust
Our values--Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence--guide everything we do.
We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.
This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.
Job description Job responsibilities
The post-holder will:
a) Assess, prescribe and handover manual and powered wheelchairs, buggies, seating and associated equipment to clients with long term disabilities in a safe, timely and effective manner.
b) Develop and maintain a working knowledge of the rehabilitation technology available to meet the needs of wheelchair, seating and prosthetic service users
c) Maintain an awareness of safety standards and the safety issues associated with wheelchair and seating (e.g., current hazard and safety notices and device bulletins).
d) Provide support to the management team in the tendering, awarding and supervision of the wheelchair maintenance contracts as required. This may involve participating in site visits, tender evaluation, negotiation and interviews.
e) Evaluate new equipment to assess its technical quality, design, specification, effectiveness and cost, and provide feedback to manufacturers to encourage product development.
f) Ensure that any equipment used by clients meets statutory requirements, is fit for purpose, functions correctly and where required is calibrated/serviced.
g) Be responsible for maintaining and developing own competency to practice through CPD activities and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development.
h) Maintain professional registration with the Register of Clinical Technologists (RCT) or Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS) or Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and show proof of registration to line management when requested.
Please view the Job Description and Person Specification (JD & PS) for further information on the full duties and responsibilities.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Hold a Degree / Diploma / Certificate in Rehabilitation Engineering Or: Hold a Degree in Clinical Technology Or: Hold a Degree / master's degree in an appropriate engineering discipline (e.g. mechanical or electronic engineering, applied science) Hold current registration on the Register of Clinical Technologists (RCT) or Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS) or Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
Desirable
Membership of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM)
Experience Essential
Experience of design and manufacture of bespoke equipment Working knowledge of brazing, welding and fabrication Experience of quality assurance Post qualification experience in the field of rehabilitation, preferably within wheelchairs and prosthetics
Desirable
Experience of working with a wide range of manual and powered wheelchairs including their prescription, adaptation, programming and repair Experience of working with a range of commercially available supportive seating systems including cushions Experience of manufacture of bespoke seating solutions for clients with complex seating needs
Skills and knowledge Essential
Practical and imaginative engineering skills to deal with technical problems that occur in outreach work An understanding of modern materials and processes An awareness of medical conditions associated with those with disabilities, including treatment regimes and typical prognosis The ability to develop and use physical manipulation techniques with patients relating to physiological and functional measurement An ability to develop a knowledge of and apply risk management techniques to medical device modification, adaptation and manufacture An ability to interpret standards in relation to medical devices An ability to develop and apply a full understanding of current risk management legislation Ability to use basic engineering hand tools and equipment Capable of operating a CAD system Good written and verbal communication skills with a wide range of people Observational and analytical skills in the clinical-technical environment Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team An empathetic approach to patient care with an ability to handle situations with diplomacy
Desirable
Familiarity with national drawing specification standards An understanding of wheelchair seating systems and wheelchair construction Able to develop safe, effective solutions to complex seating requirements Able to program powered wheelchairs including specialist control systems
Other Requirements Essential
Ability to use Microsoft Office Fit for a job which entails a significant amount of manual handling, lifting/demonstrating and adjusting equipment Ability to assess lifting and handling tasks A current, 'viable' driving licence Able to drive own vehicle / departmental van for home visits or clinics
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
Address Rose Wing
Horsham Hospital /Sussex Rehabilitation Centre
RH12 2DR
Employer's website https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/work-with-us/ (Opens in a new tab)