An awards ceremony recognising individual achievement was hosted by former BBC Tomorrow’s World presenter Kate Bellingham.
TV and radio presenter Kate Bellingham, one of the former presenters on the BBC’s popular science programme, Tomorrow’s World, in the early 1990s, opened the awards presentation by highlighting the “often unnoticed achievements” of healthcare engineers and EFM personnel, and stressing the awards’ important role in recognising “the hard work behind the scenes” at healthcare facilities UK-wide. Collecting the Lifetime Achievement Award from IHEEM’s current president Rob Smith was Lawrence Turner OBE, a former IHEEM president, and the founder of specialist bedhead services and nurse call system supplier Static Systems, who was rewarded for his “commitment to, and ongoing support for, IHEEM over a period of almost 40 years”. Presented annually, the Lifetime Achievement Award recognises an IHEEM member who has “given long service to the healthcare industry”, either within the NHS or private sector, and has “made a significant contribution to their specialist field”. Described as “a most worthy nominee”, Lawrence Turner is a Fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineering, and, in addition to being an IHEEM Fellow and past president, a past master of The Worshipful Company of Engineers and former non-executive director of a healthcare Trust. Although “well past normal retirement age”, he retains an ongoing interest in IHEEM affairs, has been a key figure in encouraging the development of an effective role for past presidents, and has, for some years, “provided an excellent venue for the annual past presidents’ meeting and luncheon”.
A ‘source of counsel’
The Institute says he has also been “a source of sound advice and counsel” for many IHEEM presidents as they embark on their two-year term. In terms of his own professional background, he founded Static Systems Group (originally Static Switching) in 1964, and, underpinned by his drive and commitment to investment in research and development, the company grew steadily to become a leading provider of nurse call, bedhead services trunking, and fire alarm systems. On presenting him with the award Rob Smith said that, although Static Systems is now largely run by younger members of his family, Lawrence Turner maintains an active interest in the business. He added: “Static Systems remains a regular and reliable supporter of IHEEM, having, for instance, taken a stand at virtually every one of the Institute’s national and regional exhibitions over many years. “Lawrence Turner has been, and remains, a great friend to, and supporter of, the Institute, and in his unassuming way, someone who has made an exceptional contribution to IHEEM and more widely to engineering and the healthcare estate.” Education and training are frequently cited as among the most critical elements in safeguarding the future prosperity of the healthcare estate management an engineering profession, and in attracting, and equally importantly, retaining, new talent. The Institute’s John Bolton Memorial Award for Excellence in the Field of Education and Training, won this year by medical gas pipeline systems specialist Alex Black, commemorates the life of John Bolton, IHEEM’s president from 1985-86. His lengthy NHS career included spells as chief engineer with the United Liverpool Hospital, deputy regional engineer with the Leeds Regional Hospital Board, regional engineer with the East Anglian Regional Hospital Board and, subsequently, chief works officer with the latter organisation with overall responsibility for works management. The award is given annually to an Institute member felt to have “contributed greatly” to the education and training and others.
A standards ‘guru’
In presenting this year’s award to Alex Black, IHEEM Education Committee chairman Bill Millar explained that the winner had worked in the field of medical gas pipeline systems for some 40 years. He said: “Alex Black has worked with virtually every standard that existed for this discipline, and has recently been heading a working group in Scotland tasked with the review of HTM 02-01 for its formal adoption within the Scottish NHS. “Over the years he has spoken at numerous technical seminars on his specialist subject, and imparted his vast knowledge and experience to those present. He has also run numerous training courses, principally for Authorised Persons, who have benefited significantly from the knowledge he has passed on. More recently he has been instrumental in establishing the requirements of the IHEEM voluntary register.” A thriving branch network is important to any sizeable professional institute, and it was with this in mind that IHEEM introduced, in the mid-1980s in recognition of Dr Bernard Lucas’s efforts for the Institute, the Lucas Award for Significant Contribution to Branch Activities. In presenting this year’s award, IHEEM Membership Committee member Chris Turner said the winner, Keith Feay, had been an Institute member and fellow for over 20 years, and thus definitely fell into the “more established member” category. A member of the IHEEM’s North-West Branch committee since 1987, who has held the post of both chairman and vice-chairman, Keith Feay is also is a past chairman of the Society of X-ray Technology, having been a member of that society since 1967, and remains a member of the British Standards committee in this respect. As he nears retirement he is very active with a charitable organisation in Malawi, where he helps install, repair, and maintain, hospital equipment (HEJ – November 2009).
Fitting recognition
Chris Turner said: “He has been nominated by his fellow North-West Branch members, who feel that this award would be a fitting recognition for his commitment to IHEEM and to engineering in general.” The William E Schall Award, the fourth award presented in Harrogate, was established by the Society of X-ray Technology, which merged with IHEEM in 1990, and commemorates the life of William Ernest Schall, the Society’s first president, in 1954. Given annually to a student who has successfully undertaken the Foundation Degree course in Medical Technologies awarded by Kingston University in partnership with Eastwood Park, it is based not only on academic achievement, but also on the student’s overall contribution to the course. Presenting the 2009 award to Stuart Eccles, Mary Thomson, who is director of partnerships at the University of Kingston upon Thames, said: “The award winner is selected by a panel made up of representatives from Kingston University, Eastwood Park, and IHEEM. This year the panel has chosen someone who not only achieved a distinction in their Foundation Degree, but also kept the entire team, students, and staff, on their toes by ensuring that everyone contributed their best to the programme.”