RECENT NEWS

‘A vision showing how key organisations in the health and care system will join forces to address sustainability challenges, potentially saving millions of pounds’, is how NHS England and Public Health England described the new Sustainability Strategy for 2014-2020 on its launch in late January.

The Living With Environmental Change (LWEC) partnership has published a concise but detailed document setting out some of the options for more sustainably and effectively preventing acute hospitals from summer overheating.

The British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) has launched what it is dubbing ‘The Facilities Management Professional Standards’ – a ‘global competence model for the profession’ created in consultation with facilities management industry stakeholders, experts, and professional standards writers.

Cofely has been awarded a Carbon Energy Fund framework contract by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust to construct, operate, and maintain, a new Energy Centre at Rampton Hospital in Nottinghamshire.

Following ‘extremely positive feedback’ from the 2013 event, this year’s EBME Seminar, on 1 May, will again be held at the Milton Keynes Double Tree Hilton Hotel – a luxury conference venue integrated into the west stand of the MK Dons stadium.

The Fire Industry Manufacturers’ (FIM) Expo will have a one-day stop on 2 April at Warwick Racecourse. Organised by the Fire Industry Association (FIA), FIM Expo will feature many of the UK’s leading fire detection and alarm manufacturers, showcasing the latest products and developments.

The Engineering Council’s 2013 survey of professionally registered engineers and technicians indicates that those holding Engineering Technician (EngTech), Incorporated Engineer (IEng), and Chartered Engineer (CEng) titles are still enjoying pay increases and low levels of unemployment.

Asteral, the vendor-independent managed equipment and managed maintenance service provider to the NHS, has been awarded a place on the North of England Commercial Procurement Collaborative (NOE CPC) Framework for Medical Equipment Maintenance.

BSRIA Instrument Solutions has added the TSI PresSura range of room pressure solutions to its portfolio of instrumentation suitable for healthcare facilities.

Howorth Air Technology’s pharmaceutical division is working within the integrated team for Cowlin Construction on the project to build South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s new multi-million pound Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Centre (PMU), near Paignton, scheduled for completion late in 2014.

Specialist healthcare training centre, Eastwood Park, says its recent awarding of a £475,000 grant from the Local Enterprise Partnership and the West of England ‘Going for Growth’ fund will assist it both in safeguarding existing jobs, and creating a number of new roles.

Portakabin Hire has delivered a complex interim health building for emergency care in just six weeks – two weeks ahead of programme – to reduce the pressure on the Accident and Emergency Department at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

During November the IFHE Australian Executive Committee member, Darryl Pitcher, travelled to Jakarta in Indonesia to support the good work of IFHE ‘A Member’ HATIMI, where he attended a national seminar.

Potential speakers for the 23rd IFHE World Congress, which will be held at the UCA University in Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires, from 12-16 October this year (HEJ – February, May, and August 2013), are reminded that abstracts must be received, via the online submission form on the IFHE website (www.ifhe2014buenosaires.com.ar/ papers.htm), by no later than 27 March.

IFHE Past-President, Yasushi Nagasawa, and a party of 21 of his healthcare engineering/architecture and planning students from Tokyo University, enjoyed a day touring some of central London’s most famous healthcare buildings, and sightseeing, in December.

A former Young Member Group Chairman of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers Hong Kong Branch (CIBSE HK), and former ECS Chairman of the Institution of Engineering and Technology Hong Kong (IET HK), has become a Fellow of IHEEM.

A recent North West Branch technical seminar hosted by Whitecroft Lighting in Ashton-under-Lyne, and chaired by Cundall Engineering Consultancy, focused on ‘Biodynamic lighting and advances in LED technology’, writes Branch Secretary, Tony Winter, energy and environmental manager, Technical Services, at the Tameside Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Thirty-eight members of IHEEM’s Northern Ireland Branch recently enjoyed a memorable two-day visit to Switzerland, with a tour of the Geberit Headquarters, in Rapperswil, Zurich, the Branch chair, Joanna Dougherty, writes.

This year’s Healthcare Estates Conference, Exhibition, and Dinner, taking place from 7-8 October at Manchester Central (GMEX), will be ‘even bigger’, the organisers, Step Exhibitions, say, with the outline conference programme set to be announced in April, and ‘further details on the positive impact for exhibitors’ due to be unveiled next month.

Work has begun on a new £6 million hybrid endovascular theatre suite at Manchester Royal Infirmary, due for completion this April.