Matt Jeffreys, Commercial director of Healthcare at Wandsworth Group, discusses some of the key benefits of digital technology in improving task management in hospitals and other healthcare facilities – in areas ranging from catering and cleaning to portering and bed management.

Anil Madan, Non-Residential Marketing manager at Ideal Standard UK and Armitage Shanks, reports on an Armitage Shanks 2024 Water Safety Forum hosted at the London Design and Specification Centre in Clerkenwell, which brought together experts from across the healthcare sector to explore the question, ‘How can the drive to Net Zero in the NHS be compatible with safe water delivery?’

David George, an Authorising Engineer (AE), Mechanical, at Eta Projects with over 30 years’ experience of high-risk Safe Systems of Work (electrical, mechanical, petroleum, confined spaces), and 19 years’ experience as an AE, and a Co-ordinating Authorising Engineer and trainer in the development of Safe Systems of Work, debates some of the issues around the requirement for a formal mechanical SSoW for the healthcare estate.

Sarah Waller CBE, an Associate Specialist at the Association for Dementia Studies, University of Worcester, and her colleague, Research assistant, Jennifer Bray, discuss the development, launch, and thinking behind a new ‘toolkit’ designed to help primary care facilities improve the physical environment for all patients – including neurodiverse individuals.

With climate change being combated on many fronts, Professor Stefano Capolongo, director of the Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering Department, and Scientific coordinator of the Design & Health Lab and JRP Healthcare Infrastructures, at Politecnico di Milano, discusses the re-thinking and implementation of practices in the construction industry – which is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. He also considers how medical facilities can be designed and built to be more sustainable through the ‘Next Generation Hospital’.

David Jones, director of Estates, Facilities, and Capital Development at University Hospital Southampton, and a fourth year PhD candidate, is researching the impact of the growing backlog maintenance level across England on patient safety incidents. He is looking both at the level of incidents directly linked to backlog maintenance, and at how ‘an aged estate’ is affecting staff in undertaking their work, and how this ultimately impacts patient safety. Here he discusses the key factors when looking at the impact of backlog maintenance, and explores what else we should be doing to improve our understanding of it, and reduce the severity of the issue.

IHEEM’s 2024 AGM at Healthcare Estates 2024 in Manchester saw the Institute’s first female President, Alison Ryan, hand over to her successor, Nigel Keery OBE, Eur.Ing, C.Eng, B.Eng (Hons) FIHEEM, MCIBSE, in his ‘day job’ Head of Estates Operations at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, father, and an uncle who were all electrical engineers, and with his son and daughter now in healthcare engineering jobs, his role at one of Europe’s biggest public healthcare providers has given him some sleepless nights, but his enthusiasm for engineering remains undimmed, he told HEJ‘s editor, Jonathan Baillie, on meeting him by ‘Teams’.

With the NHS celebrating its 75th anniversary earlier this year, two senior Arcadis personnel look back at some of the major changes in healthcare provision and buildings, and forward to the key steps – including increasing digitalisation, and ‘embedding healthcare deeper into the fabric of communities’ – they believe will help ensure a resilient service.

Manufacturers have recently had difficulties obtaining components. Medical technology specialist, Brandon Medical, explains how the business has adapted.

Stephen Bartlett, an experienced information professional with considerable experience of resource planning, risk management, and healthcare estates management, considers how the updated HTM 03-01, Specialised ventilation for healthcare buildings can – as he puts it – be ‘a catalyst for continuous operational improvements and service transformation’.

Tim Rook, a Chartered Engineer, and the Chief Markets officer at UK heat pump manufacturer, Clade Engineering, discusses some of the key opportunities for renewable energy technologies to reduce carbon emissions and bring savings in the healthcare sector, with a particular focus on heat pump technology

Poor specification, installation, and maintenance of fire doorsets can have devastating consequences in the event of a fire – but especially so in very highly trafficked and occupied facilities such as hospitals. Here, David Hindle, head of Door Closer Sales at Assa Abloy Opening Solutions UK & Ireland, outlines the key considerations for healthcare estates personnel when choosing fire doorsets.

In 1999 the British government set a target of a 25% reduction in water use in its office and non-office estates by 2020.

Paul Allen from CMD, the specialist in underfloor power distribution systems, discusses the use of busbar powertrack in a Nightingale field hospital, and highlights the lessons that can be learned about the benefits of this ‘plug and play’ approach.

A team from the University of Cambridge Engineering Design Centre (EDC) & Institute for Manufacturing is investigating how best to overcome barriers to sharing of best practice and know-how among NHS EFM professionals to the benefit of entire sector

Andrew Poplett IEng, MIHEEM, an Authorising Engineer (W&V), on ensuring, with growing staff and skills shortages, that Authorising Engineers and Authorised Persons don’t face an unreasonable workload and burden of responsibility

Dr Scott Brown CEng, CSci, MD, considers whether the existing HTM guidance on medical gas pipeline systems is due for review given advances in technology, changes in clinical practice, and ‘learnings from the Pandemic'

Michael Joubert, takes a look – based on his many years’ experience in the field – at the priorities and requirements when undertaking fixed wire testing and reporting, and at some of the pitfalls if best practice is not followed.

Stuart Skinner, senior Product manager at Rada, looks at what can be learnt from the initial response to COVID-19, and how those learnings can inform the role that infection control plays in the very fabric of our healthcare infrastructure.

Dr Tim Sandle, discusses why the most up-to-date standards, known as European Norms (EN), should always be considered when selecting cleaning and disinfection products for use in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.