Daniel Pitcher, managing director and Authorising Engineer (Water) at the Water Hygiene Centre, a ‘centre of excellence’ dedicated to independent water safety consultancy, considers future developments and changes for water safety, and focuses on some of the rapid detection and analysis technologies for detecting potentially harmful waterborne bacteria.

Darren Laybourn, director, Strategic lead, Newcastle and Teesside, and Global head of Healthcare for construction company, Turner & Townsend, explains how a partnership approach involving close collaborative working between all the key supply chain players involved has helped mental health Trust, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, ‘transform its estate against a patient-centric vision for excellence’ over the past 14 years, in the process successfully delivering on its ambition to provide care to its service-users in truly fit-for-purpose 21st-century buildings.

Laura Smith, explains the legal and regulatory requirements that are involved in setting up emergency hospitals.

Discussion on a recent research initiative at the hospital – on the most effective ways to remove protein residue from surgical instruments – acknowledged as a considerable challenge using current, established methods.

Hiroshi Yasuhara and Hidenao Atarashi, discuss their experience following 2011’s Great East Japan Earthquake, the key learnings, and how these have informed actions to further improve their hospitals’ preparedness for future natural disasters

DRLC’s Project director, Dr Louise Webb, and MD David Livingstone, consider how to keep ventilation plant in healthcare facilities running reliably, and – with the drive towards Net Zero – efficiently and sustainably.

David Hemming, a highly experienced Chartered Civil Engineer who heads the Estate and Major Programme area within the NHS Shared Business Services Consulting team, argues that the so-called ‘Golden Thread’ – a complete digital record of information about a building, from its design and construction, to its ongoing maintenance and use – ‘represents a fundamental cultural shift in how buildings are designed, constructed, and maintained’. He warns that failure to maintain an accurate, accessible, and up-to-date Golden Thread ‘is no longer merely poor practice – it represents serious corporate risk’.

Under Prime Minister, Sanna Marin’s 2019 Government Programme, Finland will be carbon-neutral by 2035, a goal requiring both faster reduction of emissions in all sectors, and strengthening of national carbon sinks. In this article, Leena Setälä, Sustainability director of the Hospital District of Southwestern Finland, sets out her vision for a ‘roadmap’ to reduce carbon emissions in the healthcare sector.

Michelle Roe, Technical Healthcare specialist at water solution provider, Whitewater, discusses the impact that water quality has on hospital-acquired infections, and some of the key water treatment methods available to combat the growth and proliferation of harmful waterborne microorganisms.

Visiting PPL Training’s York HQ, HEJ discovered what led it to begin covering key fire safety topics such as fire-stopping and fire door survey and inspection.

Last month saw the Institute’s first ever female President, Alison Ryan, take over the chain of office at IHEEM’s 2022 AGM. She discusses her career to date, her involvement with IHEEM, her goals during her Presidency, and some of the areas where she believes the Institute can have even greater impact.

Lighting design consultant, Dr Shelley James – who will speak at the one-day IHEEM ‘Innovation in Healthcare’ conference at Uttoxeter Racecourse on 11 September* – shares the latest evidence for the return on investment in lighting that supports the body clock in terms not only of improved patient health outcomes and better staff engagement, but also lower electricity bills.

On 14 March, as part of an IHEEM North-West Branch event, members were given an exclusive pre-launch tour of what the two Company Affiliates who have jointly established the facility – MIG Medical and Dräger Medical – say is ‘a ground-breaking’ Healthcare Innovation Centre, at Union House, Altrincham. Subjects covered in the day’s accompanying presentations included technology’s part in enhancing clinical care, effective alarm management in critical care settings, a new open standard that enables connectivity across medical devices, and regulations for working at height and in confined spaces. HEJ reports.

Starkstrom, the specialist in clinical infrastructure for hospitals and other healthcare facilities, has opened a new demonstration and training facility at its Syston headquarters in Leicestershire. Here clinicians can interact with the latest infrastructure and operating theatre technologies within a dedicated environment that showcases how these solutions can be integrated into the healthcare space.

Starkstrom, the specialist in clinical infrastructure for hospitals and other healthcare facilities, has opened a new demonstration and training facility at its Syston headquarters in Leicestershire. Here clinicians can interact with the latest infrastructure and operating theatre technologies within a dedicated environment that showcases how these solutions can be integrated into the healthcare space.

Starkstrom, the specialist in clinical infrastructure for hospitals and other healthcare facilities, has recently opened a new demonstration and training facility at its Syston headquarters in Leicestershire. Here clinicians can interact with the latest advanced infrastructure and operating theatre technologies within a dedicated environment that showcases how these solutions can be integrated into the healthcare space. Louise Frampton, the editor of HEJ’s sister publication, The Clinical Services Journal, reports.

In the complex landscape of healthcare administration, one major challenge NHS Trusts face is gathering data for the annual Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC) report – especially as analysing data from the various departments and units becomes key to meeting looming zero carbon goals. Highlighting the hurdles that NHS Trusts encounter in ERIC reporting and related sustainability endeavours, Nicholas Hughes, senior manager of Healthcare at MRI Software, examines technology’s ‘pivotal role’ in overcoming these challenges

Elisa Berry BA(Hons), BArch(Hons), RIBA, Director and architect at Howarth Litchfield, explains how the Durham-based architecture and interior design practice has been leading work with some of Greater London’s Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in response to the revised NHSE/I PCN Estates Guidance of 2020, which required PCNs to have a PCN Estate Strategy, supported by a PCN Clinical Strategy.

The assessment, appointment, and acceptance of the Authorised Person role can be seen as a ‘tick-box exercise’, with many APs finding the role considered an ‘added extra’ to existing duties and roles. An IHEEM-registered AE discusses the extent and nature of the role using ventilation as the primary exemplar of the duties involved.

Last October, Reinsberg Group, the medtech holding of Prague-based private equity firm, BHM Group, acquired a majority stake in Brandon Medical – as part of its strategy to build a strong group of independent European medical manufacturers. Simultaneously, Brandon unveiled ‘a bold rebrand’.