RECENT NEWS

This year, a series of successful seminars have been held by IHEEM on a range of subjects including medical gases and the control of legionella, and the Institute hopes to replicate this success in 2006.

Among new IHEEM members recently welcomed is Ramu Naidu Sathiyam, project manager at the Asia Institute of Medical Science and Technology project in Malaysia. The project embraces a medical faculty, engineering, IT, library, student centre, and administration facility, and his company has been involved in M&E services.

Nearly 20 countries attended the 38th Council meeting of the IFHE held in Antwerp in the summer, and IHEEM was well represented by Ronnie Browne and Laurie Hadley, both of whom are past presidents. Jim Cook also attended – he is IFHE treasurer and chairman of IHEEM's International Affairs Committee.

IHEEM would like to congratulate David LC Browning and Richard A Bateson for achieving registration as Chartered Engineers.

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.

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.

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 Knockonwood radiator from Jaga Heating Products is now available in ten stunning wood finishes. Adding to the original oak, beech and maple finishes, the company recently extended the wood range to include bleached oak, bleached beech, mahogany, wenge-coloured dark oak, walnut, greyed teak and the distinctive zebrano finishes.

Azko Nobel Industrial Coatings can now offer manufacturers of flexible flooring systems a specially formulated coating which has been shown to kill a wide range of germs and bacteria, including the highly resistant MRSA. The new formulation is an addition to the company’s Accolade range of coatings, which have been specially designed to enhance flooring appearance and cleanability by reducing dirt pick-up, staining and scuffing.

The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) has recommended that all products supplied to the NHS should be identified using a bar code compliant with EAN.UCC standards.

The Ewx (External Works) 2005 Exhibition has confirmed that the event will be supported for the first time by the Institution of Lighting Engineers (ILE), the UK and Ireland’s largest and most influential professional lighting association, dedicated solely to excellence in lighting.

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.

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".

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.

UK manufacturer of window products, Nico Manufacturing has extended its range with the launch of a new Shootbolt for Euro groove profiles. Part of the Security Plus range, the Shootbolt combines effective design, robust construction and UK manufacture to ensure reliability, security and performance.