RECENT NEWS

Marks and Spencer, Costa Coffee, and WHSmith, have become the first major retailers to take space in the new £5 million ‘Welcome Centre’ at the Bristol Royal Infirmary.

Despite improvements to the way that the NHS manages its property, annual savings worth £2.3 billion remain available given the adoption of better facilities management and procurement practices.

An award-winning hospital has opened a new surgical cardiac ward which it says offers patients and their families ‘the equivalent of five-star accommodation’.

Following the selection of Cambridge University Hospitals as the regional major trauma centre for the new East of England Trauma Network, off-site construction specialist, Yorkon, has helped to increase theatre capacity at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

Big Foot Systems has expanded its Heavy Duty range, designed to support plant and installed services on flat roofs.

Community Health Partnerships (CHP) has appointed four corporate property managers as part of the organisation’s changing national role.

Community Health Partnerships (CHP) has appointed four corporate property managers as part of the organisation’s changing national role.

Aluminium building systems manufacturer, Blyweert Beaufort Aluminium, a ‘leader in the design of window and door products in the UK’ for the past 20 years.

Bristol Maid can now offer ‘a comprehensive storage, material flow, and asset management solution’ via an exclusive partnership with Stanley Healthcare Solutions, featuring ‘the well-known’ Scan Modul System and SpaceTRAX brands.

ELGA Process Water has introduced a new monitoring tool to help in microbiological control of water systems.

Construction of the Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust’s new £40 million, 154-bed mental health inpatient unit, The Harbour, started on site early last month, with opening scheduled for spring 2015.

‘Engineering UK 2013’ is the annual flagship report of Engineering UK, the charity that promotes engineers, engineering, and technology, by raising awareness of the profession and the contribution of engineering to society.

Space for Health (SfH), the website where DH technical guidance, including Health Building Notes and Health Technical Memorandums – could be found, has now closed, ‘in line with the Government’s Digital Communications Strategy’, the Department of Health’s Estates and Facilities Policy Division explains.

Honeywell’s new FAAST Fire Alarm Aspiration Sensing Technology portfolio will be showcased at this year’s Firex from 13-16 May (Stand N40, Hall 3) at the NEC in Birmingham.

The two leading trade associations representing catering equipment manufacturers – the Catering Equipment Suppliers Association (CESA), and distributors – the Catering Equipment Distributors Association (CEDA), are to work more closely together.

EMS-Healthcare has ‘bespoke designed’ and built a mobile chemotherapy facility to help cancer experts deliver treatment closer to patients’ homes.

The editor and editorial committee of the 2014 IFHE Digest are urgently seeking synopses, of around 200 words, in English, from authors considering contributing an article for the 2014 international publication.

Over 500 professionals from the healthcare estates and facilities, healthcare engineering, architectural, and associated fields, are expected to gather at the 23rd IFHE Congress at the UCA University in Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires in October 2014.

The IFHE’s 2013 Council and Executive Committee Meetings will take place at 9.00 am on 9 and 10 September respectively at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Putrajaya, Malaysia (pictured), just before the BEAM (Biomedical Engineering Association of Malaysia) 2013 Hospital Engineering Conference and Exhibition gets under way at the venue.

Writing in his most recent IHEEM President’s ‘blog’ (viewable at: www.iheempresident.wordpress.com), IHEEM’s President, Greg Markham (who recently took up a new role as technical director, EMCOR Facilities Services), says: “I’ve just returned from Bern, where I attended the IFHE Europe Council Meeting and European Congress hosted by IHS (the Institute of Hospital Engineers Switzerland).