Meet Darren Gilheaney, Deputy Chief Medical Engineer.
With a keen interest in research and development, Darren has over 17 years’ Medical Engineering experience, gained within public health services in both England and Ireland.
Dublin-born and bred Darren always knew he was going to work within the discipline, and specialises in anaesthetics and ventilation, as well as being the Deputy Chief Medical Engineer.
Darren takes up the story: “I think I was destined to work in Medical Engineering, as I’ve always loved electronics and as my father was a surgical sales rep, there was always medical equipment in the house to play with at the weekend!”
Darren adds, I also worked as a hospital porter to help fund my Electronic Engineering degree in 2003. Here my interest peaked, as I saw the medical equipment working at the coalface and thought; I wonder who manages that – and now I do!"
Starting his career in the Irish Health service, as a junior engineer in 2003, Darren gained a role within the NHS in 2009 with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, before moving to Blackpool Victoria Hospital in 2010.
Darren explains: "Medical Engineering honestly isn’t as complicated as you might think. It involves the application of
engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes. In a nutshell, my role involves managing medical equipment over its entire life, whilst keeping up to date with emerging technologies through continuous professional development."
Darren seldom has an average day. As Deputy Chief Medical Engineer, the only constant is his focus on ensuring that the division can perform at optimum levels, ensuring our clients get the equipment they need, when they need it, in order to deliver the very best care for their patients.
Ensuring the safety of our clients' staff and patients is the driving force behind any decisions he makes, whilst undertaking any repair work and supporting and developing the team, under Daron Wilson's leadership.
Darren’s pride shines through, as he tells of his proudest moment, when working as a Medical Engineer: "Back home in Ireland, I was called to theatre as a diathermy had failed halfway through a case. After scrubbing up and going in to theatre, I managed to diagnose and repair the fault while the surgical team waited with the anaesthetised patient on the table.
Afterwards, the surgeon came down to me and thanked me for what I had done.
If the fault had not been fixed, the operation would have been cancelled and not only let the patient down, but also his team, which was something he didn’t want to have to do. It is times like that you realise the degree of input we have on patient care."