RECENT NEWS

Kevin Oxley, director of estates and facilities at County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals Trust, has been elected as the new chairman of the Health Estates and Facilities Management Association (Hefma) for a period of two years. He succeeds Andrew Jones, the previous chairman.

One of the UK’s oldest engineering publishing arms dating back to 1847 has taken over a century of historical documents onto the Internet for the first time.

The Leeds office of cost and project management consultants Faithful+Gould has a massive key worker accommodation contract on track with the completion of the first phase of four schemes spanning Lincolnshire.

Bid-Builder Ltd hosted a fact-finding mission to Kings College Hospital PFI by a team from the Barcelona Courts PFI project recently.

Two new operating theatres have been delivered by road to Beneden Hospital, near Cranbrook, Kent.

One of the UK’s most historic hospitals, St Mark’s in Maidenhead, Berkshire is now home to two new state-of-the-art audiology test rooms, using products from IAC, a provider of noise and acoustic control products, structures and test facilities. The facility has been commissioned by St Mark’s in a bid to improve hearing services for patients within the town and surrounding area.

Healthcare development specialist, Ryhurst, part of the Rydon Group, has been selected by Teignbridge Primary Care Trust as the private sector partner on a £27 million PFI project to redevelop Newton Abbot Community Hospital in Devon. The project is the first major PFI health contract for the Rydon Group since the company underwent a management buy out earlier this year.

Health Minister Andy Burnham has given the go-ahead for six new NHS hospital private finance initiative (PFI) developments worth close to £1.5 billion.

CADHAM Consultancy, which provides comprehensive consultancy services tailored to meet individual healthcare facility requirements, has become an IHEEM company affiliate.

Professional engineers will be delighted to hear that the UK financial services industry no longer appears to regard them as untrustworthy, reports the Engineering Council UK (ECUK).

The new HTM 01 on disinfection and sterilisation is being published and is the first update of the guidance for over 10 years.

An FM seminar titled ‘Developing capacity and career pathways’ is to be held by the Southern Training Advisory Group (STAG) at the Hawkwell House Hotel, Oxford, on Thursday, 5 October 2006.

For the IHEEM London Branch summer visit, arrangements were made for a “behind the scenes” group tour of the Royal Opera House, London, including a focus on engineering aspects of the premises.

In the early summer, I was invited by IHEEM president Phil Nedin to attend a presentation day at Cardiff University, writes Tammy Simmons, the Institute’s membership manager.

Hulley & Kirkwood, one of the UK’s leading independent mechanical and electrical consulting engineering firms, is celebrating financial closure on the £553 million University Hospital Birmingham Project.

The majority of medical professionals believe that NHS policies on portable data security are inadequate and could even breach patient confidentiality.

Following its reappointment as National Care Association (NCA) Fire Safety Consultants, the English Community Care Association (ECCA) and Scottish Care have announced that Fireco Ltd has been appointed Fire Safety Consultants for both associations.

Reading-based Kee Klamp Ltd is helping Swindon Health Centre meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) with a new tubular handrail system created using its specially developed 500 Series.

Fittings from this range have been used to construct a new guard and handrailing structure beside a crossing point for disabled visitors at the main entrance to the centre, ensuring safe and easy access for all visitors.

Howorth Medical has recently completed a major project at BMI Albyn Hospital, Aberdeen. Work carried out included the upgrading and refitting of two existing theatres and a recovery area. A third theatre was also built to increase capacity and flexibility of usage.

As part of its appointment for St Helens LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust), the Manchester office of White Young Green (WYG), consultants to the built, natural and social environment, has been providing design services on a variety of schemes throughout the north west of England.