FEATURE ARTICLES

Marion Warburton reviews the infrastructure requirements of hospital security technology integration. This article originally appeared in the Quarterly Journal of the Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society and is published in HEJ through IHEEM’s links with the International Federation of Hospital Engineering.

Less than ten years ago, a baby could be abducted from the average hospital in Canada without a single alarm going off.

Bill Geerlings C.Eng FIHEEM FIHEA BHA (NSW), director, Capworks Management (Victoria) Pty, discusses the role of end users in health facility developments. This article originally appeared in The Australian Hospital Engineer, the magazine of the Institute of Hospital Engineering Australia and is published in HEJ through IHEEM’s links with the International Federation of Hospital Engineering.

Drawing on my experience as a project director and facilities director of teaching hospitals in Victoria and Queensland, Australia, I will examine the need for end user involvement in health facility redevelopments if these are to be really successful. I will also examine the strategies and structures for optimising their contribution during the planning, design, commissioning and handover phases of major projects.

The move to a modern protective security culture is outlined by Nick van der Bijl, Trust security manager, North Bristol NHS Trust. The International Federation of Hospital Engineering (IFHE) assisted with the commissioning of this article.

Since 1948 the National Health Service subscribed to the Home Office assessment that: “For some strange reason, people, staff and visitors seem to think that because hospitals are caring places, they are somehow immune from the effects of local crime and the ills of society”.

The management of ventilation and water hygiene in healthcare buildings is explored by Tim Wafer MIHEEM, chlorine dioxide product group manager, Clearwater Technology.

Jan Strybol, regulatory affairs manager for Air Products Medical, explains the new CEN & ISO standard on Medical Gas Pipeline Systems (MGPS).

A path to the satisfactory validation of new sterile service department (SSD) cleanrooms is set out by project manager and cleanroom consultant Andrew Tweedie.

Health Estate Journal outlines highlights from the forthcoming Health Facilities Management Association (HEFMA) conference, and previews a selection of products and services from the accompanying exhibition.

Health Estate Journal reviews IDEAs – a new web-based tool for Trusts working with architects and design consultants to develop their briefs and design ideas for healthcare environments.

An evaluation of the antimicrobial properties of sanitising product TECare by Dr A Taylor MB CHB, et al. – Leesbrook Surgery, Lees, Oldham.

Issues relating to the security of hospital premises are examined by Henrik Kiertzner MBCS CITP MIEE FRSA, associate director, Arup Security and Risk Consulting.

The recent Futurebuild event provided insights into how modern construction methods can improve the delivery of healthcare facilities. Jason Rayfield reports.

This Health Estate Journal ‘Then and now’ feature focuses on the importance of earth loop testing in ensuring electrical safety. The first part of the feature is by John Stephens, principal partner of Walnut Lodge Services, and the second section consists of a slightly edited version of an article by J.V. Gomersall (DFH, Graduate IEE) that was published in the August 1960 issue of The Hospital Engineer, the journal of The Institution of Hospital Engineers (now IHEEM).

Jason Rayfield reports on the recently completed Pharmaceuticals Production Suite within the new Pharmacy and Pathology Building at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.

For the K"nigin Elisabeth Hospital in Berlin, Germany, changes to the way it receives revenue necessitated the implementation of a new computer system to measure efficiency based on patient data rather than duration of treatment.

When health service managers were faced with rumours and misinformation about the fire performance within buildings that use insulated panels, a concerted effort to restore confidence was required. Mark Harris, building technology director of Kingspan Insulated Panels, charts developments and finds the market reassured.

Manufacturer Blücher commissioned Building Performance Group (BPG) to provide a whole life cost assessment of four alternative internal waste drainage systems which may be used in an acute hospital. HEJ reports.

As surgical instrument decontamination services continue to be reshaped, attitudes of positiveness and co-operation need to be firmly adopted, a conference held recently by the Institute of Decontamination Sciences was told. Nicholas Marshall reports.

Stephen Butt MIHEA, manager, Asset Management, Greater Southern Area Health Service, NSW, Australia, examines the obtaining of significantly more from plant improvements than energy efficiency and an improved ‘green’ profile. This article is formed from a paper presented at the 56th National Conference of the Institute of Hospital Engineering Australia, and similar text has been published in The Australian Hospital Engineer, the magazine of the IHEA.

Ideas for optimising the management of waste and hazardous materials in the medical field are provided by Ing. Monika Schaffer MSc who has responsibility for waste management at the Vienna General Hospital in Austria. This article is based on a paper presented at the 1st European Conference on Healthcare Engineering held in Baden-Baden, Germany, last September. The conference was staged by the European Competence Center of Healthcare Engineering, an organisation formed by a group of associations most of which are members of the International Federation of Hospital Engineering. Health Estate Journal is grateful to Monika Schaffer, the ECCHE, and the IFHE for their help in providing the article for publication.

Developments in the UK’s Firecode for hospital fire safety are profiled by Professor David Charters PhD CEng MIMechE FIFireE MSFPE, director of fire engineering, BRE Fire and Security, UK. This article is based on a paper presented at the 1st European Conference on Healthcare Engineering held in Baden- Baden, Germany, last September. The conference was staged by the European Competence Center of Healthcare Engineering, an organisation formed by a group of associations most of which are members of the International Federation of Hospital Engineering. Health Estate Journal is grateful to Prof Charters, the ECCHE and IFHE for their help in providing the article for publication.