Heralded on their introduction as important lifelines for patients in hospital, patient information / entertainment systems and their manufacturers have faced considerable commercial and practical challenges, leading some suppliers to abandon the UK market altogether and leaving others under massive financial pressure. Jonathan Baillie reports

Last summer the Department of Health (DoH) announced that, as part of tough measures to further reduce hospital-acquired superbug infection rates and simultaneously restore public confidence, every English NHS hospital should complete a thorough “deep clean” by the end of this month. Jonathan Baillie reports on progress to date and examines the key issues raised.

BSI British Standards has published a new document which aims to prevent injury or death due to cross-connection between small bore connectors used in different fields of medical application.

In some circumstances staff must work near live electrical conductors, and, as the HSE’s Wayne Vernon writes, there are detailed regulations that must be adhered to.

An incisive, personal view of the provision of medical gases is put forward by Melanie van Limborgh, assistant director of nursing, projects and development, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, and immediate past chairman of the Association for Perioperative Practice.

A major project to decarbonise North Tyneside General Hospital is well under way, with the aim of reducing its emissions by 80 per cent. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s ‘commitment to taking concrete, meaningful action’ to reduce its environmental impact will see the hospital’s steam system replaced

On 14 April IHEEM, HEFMA, and the Carbon and Energy Fund (CEF), officially launched their jointly produced document, A Healthcare Engineering Roadmap For Delivering Net Zero Carbon.

IIHEEM’s second online Branch of the Month event of 2021 saw guest speaker, Cath Noakes OBE, CEng, FIMechE, FIHEEM, discuss the topic, ‘Air cleaning and disinfection devices in a hospital setting – approaches and pitfalls'

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors has formally published ‘world-first’ guidance to define the exact measurement of land and associated metrics, which it says will now serve as best practice ‘for virtually all real estate professionals’.

With the announcement that 40 new hospitals would be built across England by 2030, Christopher Shaw, asked – in IHEEM’s Digital Week 2020 – how the sector could ensure that good design quality was a key feature of more new hospitals in the future.

Michael Brown, a Biomedical Services Technician based at Christchurch Public Hospital, , discusses his day-to-day job, and the important role such engineering personnel play in enabling clinicians to do ‘the real-life-saving work’.

Gavin Statham, Southern Regional director at BES, a specialist in the design and construction of cleanrooms, aseptic facilities, and other sophisticated environments, discusses the demanding requirements for hospital aseptic facilities, and how the healthcare sector can benefit from the experience of the pharmaceutical industry.

With concern in recent years over inadequate reprocessing of endoscopes, a look at some of the key steps and measures that can be taken to tackle the issue, and thus reduce the risk of infection from contaminated devices.

Last month, speaking at the IHEEM 2019 AE Conference, Authorising Engineer, Andrew Poplett, explained how the assessment, appointment, and acceptance of key roles and responsible officers ‘can cause significant confusion and issues within the ever-changing organisational structures of both NHS and private healthcare providers’

With IHEEM celebrating its 75th Anniversary this year, HEJ editor, Jonathan Baillie, looks back at the Institute’s beginnings, its early and continuing goals, and some of the key milestones in its history, beginning with the first meeting at City Hospital Nottingham in August 1943. He draws on a variety of interesting archive material recently uncovered by members of the head office team.

A look at the two main filter media technologies commonly used – traditional flat sheet membrane and the ‘modern’ hollow fibre membrane media – to tackle Legionellaand Pseudomonasin hospital water systems

The Estates Maintenance Department at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust has introduced a Workforce Development Programme to tackle existing skills gaps and ensure strong succession planning.

A look at a major wayfinding and signage project being undertaken at Australia’s Royal Perth Hospital, in an article first published in The Australian Hospital Engineer.

Over the next 3-4 years, a number of the earlier hospital PFI projects will come to an end, and in the next two decades, a significant further tranche will reach ‘handback’ stage. NHS Trusts with PFI-funded buildings have been advised to start preparing early – particularly by ensuring they have a clear picture of the condition of the assets soon to return to their ownership, and getting any significant defects addressed now. HEJ editor, Jonathan Baillie, met by ‘Teams’ with Ian Daccus, Estates and Facilities Strategic Partnership director at Capita, to get his ‘take’ on the ensuing challenges and opportunities.

Jamie Marsh and Adam Hurst, both Partners at construction, property, and management consultancy, Rider Levett Bucknall, discuss some of the key steps for healthcare estates management teams to take to ensure that PPP estate assets are optimised and offer the maximum value.