RECENT NEWS

Successful trial leads to UK launch
O2 Health has launched in the UK a new telehealth service, ‘Side by Side’, following a successful trial with NHS Western Isles in Scotland, which demonstrated improved clinician productivity, a 30% reduction in travel costs, and fewer appointment cancellations. A secure software solution, Side by Side enables clinicians to use their office computers to link up electronically and conduct “personal and effective remote patient-clinician consultations”. It incorporates video, audio, and chat functionality, plus a digital whiteboard for on-the-spot diagrams and annotations.
Embracing the human factor
As part of its ongoing relationship with the Northern Skills Institute (NSI) at Hexham General Hospital, OR Networks, now part of Karl Storz Endoscopy UK, has equipped a suite of training rooms with equipment from its OR1 digital video teaching range. The specially designed ORTV system includes cameras, feeds for endoscopic stacks, audio systems, microphones, and display systems, and serves a dual purpose: running two skills laboratories for hands-on laparoscopic training, and creating a simulated environment for ‘SimMan’, a 75kg ‘plastic patient’ .
Bespoke workstations supplied
Wardray Premise has supplied bespoke shielded workstations for a new £1.4 million resuscitation unit at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, South West London.
Course focuses on medical instrument decontamination
Training centre, Eastwood Park, says it is already receiving considerable interest from managers of sterile services departments in one of its most recent new work-based learning initiatives – an Edexcelaccredited BTEC Certificate in the decontamination of reusable medical instruments.
Colourful doorsets brighten improved children’s facility
Leaderflush Shapland doorsets have been specified for Doncaster Royal Infirmary’s new Women’s & Children’s Hospital.
Congress to cruise ahead
Delegate places are still available for this year’s IFHE 22nd Annual Congress, to be held from 13-17 April on board the Norwegian coastal steamer, the Hurtigruten MS Midnatsol, as it journeys south down Norway’s scenic west coast.
Addressing violent behaviour
NHS Protect, which incorporates some functions of the former NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS), and provides policy and operational guidance on management of security within the NHS in England.
Smarter washers save water
Girbau UK has added enhanced LOGI PRO control to its ‘popular’ 6 Series washer range to offer ‘even greater operational flexibility and lower consumption of energy and water’ for commercial on-premise laundry applications including hospitals and care homes.
OR Networks
In the introduction to the OR Networks-supplied article, Paddington hospital has ‘world first’ in AV in the November 2011 issue of HEJ. .
New facilities for Aintree Hospital
BAM Construction in the North West is to deliver new facilities for Aintree Hospital in Liverpool.
Launch widens market for Keraflo
Manufacturer and supplier of float valves, Keraflo, has launched an electronic tank management system that it says provides, via one integrated ‘package’ for the first time, a simple way to monitor water level and temperature in cold water storage tanks.
‘Intelligent’ technology research facility opens
Royal Philips Electronics has opened a dedicated research facility at its Eindhoven-based Research Laboratories which will develop ‘healing environment concepts’ that ‘harness intelligent technology’ to accelerate and improve treatment outcomes, while simultaneously reducing the stress and anxiety associated with hospitalisation.
Versatile solid surfacing material
Creating comfortable surroundings for patients and their visitors is an important part of designing healthcare spaces, emphasises LG Hausys, designer and manufacturer of solid surfacing material, HI-MACS.
Ice or snow – NGS has surface safety as its top priority
Independent ice and snow clearance company, Nationwide Gritting Services (NGS), says its has been keeping roads, car parks, and pedestrian walkways clear of ice and snow at hospitals and healthcare complexes for many years, ‘offering a guaranteed service, no matter how severe the winter weather’.
Don’t run the risk of fire
According to Stuart Davies, of Hochiki Europe, treating a fire detection system as a ‘fit and forget’ part of a building’s infrastructure can have disastrous consequences. He explains the key part that regular maintenance of such systems plays in ensuring correct operation, and avoiding unwanted alarms.
Raising standards in medical device decontamination
One of the most recent work-based learning initiatives introduced by Eastwood Park is the development of a Certificate in the decontamination of reusable medical instruments.
Modular building minimises disruption at HRI
A new modular building at Hull Royal Infirmary that provides modern hospital facilities for up to 90,000 patients annually has been delivered by Portakabin.
Lord Darzi visits Vanguard unit
World-leading surgeon, and former Health Minister, Lord Darzi (pictured right) outside the unit with the company’s development director, Gary King), has made a special visit to one of Vanguard Healthcare’s mobile operating theatres while it was at the new Covidien headquarters in Fareham for an open day.
Steel ‘carpets’ speed frame completion
The rapid construction of one of the UK’s largest concrete frame structures – for the £300 m Forth Valley Royal Acute Hospital at Larbert, was aided by the use of Bamtec, an off-site fabricated steel “carpet” of floor slab reinforcement, says its exclusive manufacturer in the UK, Hy-Ten.
DH‘land strategy’ published
The Department of Health has published its strategy to accelerate the release of public sector land to help local communities and the NHS.
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FEATURE ARTICLE

Portal provides access for carbon reduction
How the lessons learned from a concerted Marks & Spencer sustainability drive that was established, and subsequently enthusiastically championed by, the retailer’s then CEO and chairman, Sir Stuart Rose, could be translated to an NHS under fierce pressure to cut its own carbon footprint, was the subject of a morning keynote session at November’s Healthcare Estates 2011 conference in Manchester.

PRODUCT ARTICLE

Revolutionising integral blind systems
Yorkshire-based Intaview has launched a new privacy and vision control system that utilises a twin-film concept “to provide a superior performance, and offer greater vision for privacy vision panels in office partitions, windows, doors, screens, and corridors”.