RECENT NEWS

IHEEM can reflect that much has been achieved this year, writes Tammy Simmons, the Institute’s recruitment manager. Not only have membership numbers increased, as has been reported in HEJ, but also the membership retention rate is at an all time high.

IHEEM’s Membership Committee has extensive duties and responsibilities. The committee: · Reviews membership assessment criteria as necessary and advise the Institute’s Council on all matters regarding membership of IHEEM. · Receives and review all new applications and upgrades for membership. · Promotes Engineering Council registration to members. · Provides guidance to members on all aspects of membership and registration with the Engineering Council UK, as well as encouraging upgrades and transfers to appropriate grades of membership. · Develops and maintain professional review panels within each branch area and provide training for panel members. · Gives advice to members on Professional Development and undertake monitoring on a sample basis.

The latest status report on the working programme of CEN TC 204 (concerning the sterilisation of medical devices) can be found by IHEEM members in their section on the Institute’s website.

The Welsh Branch of IHEEM in association with Welsh Health Estates has announced advance details of a twoday conference and accompanying exhibition to be held at the Hilton Hotel, Cardiff, on 30 and 31 March 2006.

IHEEM’s next series of seminars will be on the New Medical Equipment Installation Guidance Notes (MEIGan). The MHRA (the former Medical Devices Agency) has updated its guidance for the pre-installation of imaging equipment and it includes related issues concerning associated circuits in the patient area. The MEIGan document, now launched, includes preinstallation electrical guidance for imaging equipment and associated lighting and power circuits.

The Process Steam Guide has been produced by Gary Sowerby Eur.Ing CEng MEI as a result of 38 years of process steam plant experience.

Xerox Global Services (XGS) has issued a warning to the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors about the lack of document and knowledge sharing tools that could "send both sectors into meltdown".

One of the ongoing aims of the Institute is to improve communication with its members. The IHEEM website at www.iheem.org.uk is packed full of information including all the latest event, branch and industry news. Planning your diary for the next six months? Then go to your dedicated branch pages where you will find all the latest information about forthcoming local events as well as contact details for the branch committee members. Been asked to find the contact details of your local Authorised Person (Steriliser)? Then go to the Authorising Engineers section where you will find a complete list.

Sourcing high quality heavy duty WC units has been simplified by stainless steel sanitaryware manufacturer W&G Sissons, with the launch of a product brochure featuring the company’s new Guardian and Centinel ranges.

LAW Express has been providing telephone legal advice to members of IHEEM since September 2002. When members have had a problem, or something has caused stress or anxiety, the organisation has been at hand.

Catering staff at Hull Royal Infirmary have revamped the menus for the children’s wards in an effort to tackle the city’s increasing child obesity problem and encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables. Staff believe they are perfectly placed to plug the healthy eating message while youngsters are in hospital, and are essentially a captive audience.

Redstone Communications has been awarded Systems Silver approval by the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) in recognition of its commitment to providing effective protection to health organisations against threats to voice, data, internet and building security.

The latest Help-Point telephones from Gai-Tronics are hands-free autodialler units, with vandal resistant DDA friendly features. These telephones are designed for general public use, including users with impaired sight, hearing, speech or physical disabilities, providing a centralised access point for help or information. They can be located in general public areas and service provider premises such as hospitals. They are also ideally suited as a telephone entry panel for locked, gated or otherwise inaccessible premises, so helping to ensure compliance with the latest DDA legislation. This can include public buildings.

Happy New Year to you all – I hope you have had a wonderful time over the holiday and are now reinvigorated for 2005, writes Tammy Simmons, IHEEM’s recruitment manager.

When Longreach House Psychiatric Hospital contacted materials handling specialist MasterMover recently, the hospital was impressed to find a pedestrian operated tug unit that could solve two issues it had with roll cage movement.

A deal between lighting specialist, Light Years Ahead, and Swedish company, Aura Light AB, means a range of facilities, including hospitals, will be able to reduce the cost of maintaining light fittings by a factor of four.

Leicestershire-based Hill-Rom has agreed a contract with University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) NHS Trust to fully equip its hospitals with new AvantGuard hospital beds, specialist mattresses and furniture, over a phased five year period with a comprehensive contract for services over the next 15 years.

JS Air Curtains has launched a new air curtain that is ideal for hospitals and healthcare premises due to its attractive design and flexible control options. The Standesse air curtain enhances patient and staff comfort in the winter, whilst reducing heating bills by allowing a hospital to leave its doors invitingly open without letting valuable heat escape.

The Solo T3 thermostatic basin mixer from Sirrus fuses safety and style in a product that is approved to the NHS’ stringent TMV3 standards under the BuildCert scheme. This single level basin mixer will automatically control water outlet temperatures at the chosen level even when supply pressures and temperatures fluctuate.

The Royal Society for the Promotion of Health has announced that Darryn Kerr, chief engineer at NHS Estates, has been awarded the 2005 John Edward Worth Silver Medal.