Institution of Mechanical Engineers comments on the Government’s call for more ventilators to be manufactured

Dr Helen Meese, Vice Chair of the Biomedical Division of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers said:

“Ventilation equipment, like all medical devices, is very strictly regulated to ensure patient safety. We must be clear, that while many engineering companies and individuals have come forward to support this initiative, it will take several weeks if not months to ensure the right processes are in place to increase production of these precision parts.

The quickest way for the UK to do this is for existing specialist manufacturers to share their drawings, specifications and expertise with non-medical manufacturers so they can make the parts to the right quality standards.

While manufacturing can be ramped up, we must also remember that engineering will play an important role once these parts arrive at the NHS.  Clinical engineers will be needed to oversee the process of installing these parts on the wards and even building some of the hand-held ventilators for use by clinical staff.

The NHS should look at placing senior clinical engineers in charge of coordinating the supply chain between device manufacturers and hospitals to ensure consistency and best practice is maintained. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Biomedical Engineering Division represents over 3000 engineers from across the healthcare engineering sector, many of whom have the expertise to assist in this process. It is in times of such crisis that engineers consistently play a leading role in ensuring the health and safety of our society.”

Notes to Editors

Contact the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Press Office on 07713 565683 or email media@imeche.org

• The Institution of Mechanical Engineers was established in 1847 and has some of the world’s greatest engineers in its history books. It is one of the fastest growing professional engineering institutions. Headquartered in London, we have operations around the world and over 120,000 members in more than 140 countries working at the heart of the most important and dynamic industries such as the automotive, rail, aerospace, medical, power and construction industries.