Infection control is critical in healthcare environments to protect patients, visitors, and staff. Here Tim Checketts, head of Specification at dormakaba, discusses how the right door and access control solutions can help minimise the spread of germs, while still achieving the required accessibility, security, and safety.

Regina Kennedy, Healthcare Strategy and Planning director at ETL, argues that the presumption in government circles toward greater use of Modern Methods of Construction in healthcare projects calls for a different mindset and approach.

Replacing old T5 and T8 fluorescent lamps with more efficient LED lighting as part of a scheme which aims to cut the Trust’s carbon footprint by up to 60 per cent may deliver up to a 50 per cent energy saving at Goole and District Hospital.

Leading resource management company, Veolia, has launched a new service specifically designed to help businesses that produce small volumes of waste, which may include hazardous materials, to efficiently dispose of and treat it.

David Dunning, Marketing executive at Hilditch, which specialises in selling unused and surplus medical equipment for the healthcare sector, discusses when may be the best time for healthcare providers to repair, replace, or sell such 'kit'.

‘Flushing water systems could save lives, waste money, cause fatalities, or be illegal’. By the time one has resorted to flushing it may be at worst ‘failure’, or, at best, ‘a necessary evil’.

An Army-trained engineer who is CEO of biomedical equipment engineering services specialist, Avensys, believes many NHS EBME departments are under-resourced and undervalued. Consequently many may be over-reliant on OEMs for equipment maintenance.

Isopharm will in May launch online training for sterile services, endoscopy, decontamination, and validation engineers, ‘offering a platform where all levels of staff can access a vast array of training modules written by industry experts’.

Brandon Medical is a UK manufacturer, supplier, and installer of reliable examination lights suitable for emergency hospitals, minor surgical lighting, intensive care support systems, and other essential medical equipment, ‘which may be of great use in quickly scaling ITU and critical care services’.

According to Altro, ‘recent years have seen the arguments for and against the use of biocides intensify, with some pro-biocide organisations making bolder claims than ever before’. Here Lucy Bilotto, European Marketing manager at Altro, outlines the flooring and wall cladding manufacturer’s concerns that ‘in the absence of firm evidence to support these claims’, there are concerns that these additives may be having no positive impact on infection control.

Interfurn is now offering a full bio-decontamination service for hospitals and other healthcare facilities, where there may be a high-level biological contamination risk. Interfurn’s BIOAct-365 Decontamination Service is particularly useful for facilities treating patients during the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and is available as a rapid emergency response, or as part of a planned cleaning and maintenance programme.

Sarah Butler, Business Case lead at Drees & Sommer UK, explores what the NHS Net Zero Building Standard means for NHS Trusts, the challenges they may face, and why the role of the Net Zero Carbon Coordinator is vital. Scott Rushton, Associate at Drees & Sommer UK, adds his expertise as a Net Zero Carbon and Sustainability specialist to explain the purpose of the role, and why engaging with sufficiently qualified experts is key.

A webinar to be held by MRI Software in association with Health Estate Journal at 11.00 am on 1 May will focus on ‘the significant challenges the NHS faces in estate and facilities management due to fragmented systems, manual data collection, and inefficiencies’.

A webinar to be held by MRI Software in association with Health Estate Journal at 11.00 am on 1 May will focus on ‘the significant challenges the NHS faces in estate and facilities management due to fragmented systems, manual data collection, and inefficiencies’.

X-rays can be a daunting experience for patients, especially children, and to help reduce ‘scanxiety’ – the increased level of anxiety patients may feel before, during, and after a scan – Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital, Brighton has recently partnered with Canon Medical Systems UK ‘to reimagine the whole X-ray experience’.

Cygnus, a specialist in permanent, fully wireless, fire detection systems, is set to display its new EN54-compliant SmartNet range at FIREX 2023, ‘Europe’s leading annual fire safety event’, which takes place from 16-18 May at the ExCeL London Exhibition Centre.

Peter Orendecki, Senior Contracts manager and Water AP at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, highlights ‘the apparent lack of understanding of the risks’ posed by hazardous bacteria in hospital wastewater systems among some designers, architects, and even Infection Control personnel.

The Royal Bournemouth Hospital marked a major milestone on 19 May with a traditional ‘topping out’ for its new BEACH Building – a 23,000 m2 clinical complex standing six storeys tall – equivalent in size to 115 tennis courts.

A new NHS Modern Methods of Construction Toolkit and accompanying User Guide are intended ‘to provide a framework and key themes to create a coherent Modern Methods of Construction strategy’.

New research from the University of Hertfordshire has shown that while delivering health services remotely ‘can be hugely beneficial to users’, there may be little to no financial saving – with some costing more than when conducted in-person.