FEATURE ARTICLES

Although estimates suggest that, on average, some 30 per cent of all patients in general acute medical wards may have some form of dementia, Stirling University’s Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC).

In HEJ’s latest technical guidance article, Paul Reeve, director of Business Services at the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), discusses some of the key issues surrounding dealing with asbestos when refurbishing healthcare properties.

Dr Steve Mann, a partner at the Worcester Street Medical Practice in Stourbridge, describes how he and a number of his GP colleagues have worked with architects, Abacus Architects, and main contractor, Amphion Construction, as well as with a number of local NHS and local authority bodies, to co-ordinate construction of a new GP ‘supersurgery’.

With wireless technology now an integral part of all our lives, and miniaturisation of computing power having made even hand-held portable devices such as mobile phones powerful tools in their own right.

With good fire safety strategy, and, for instance, ensuring that staff are properly trained in, and familiar with, the correct procedures should a major fire necessitate evacuation, being a key priority for healthcare facilities of all kinds.

An honest account of some of the lessons learned in how to protect patients, staff, and visitors, against waterborne Pseudomonas aeruginosa by effectively monitoring a large healthcare facility’s water supply, identifying potential ‘trigger points’.

The Legionella Approved Code of Practice and guidance (ACoP) has recently undergone a review by the Health and Safety Executive. Steve Mount BSc (hons) CBiol MIBiol MWMSoc, an independent specialist consultant in water hygiene and safety, reports on the first conference (held in Birmingham) to discuss these changes, entitled ‘Legionella management: The revised ACoP (L8); what impact will the changes have on you?’.

Even for a company where many employees have contributed long service, with 45 years under his belt at commercial washroom and showering system manufacturer, Kohler Mira, the company’s commercial marketing manager on the Rada brand, Roy Minett, has seen his share of change.

Speaking in a presentation at October’s Healthcare Estates 2013, senior representatives from a number of Principal Supply Chain Partners (PSCPs) within the ProCure21+ National Framework explained their ongoing work to develop designs for standardised and repeatable rooms.

While Engineering Technicians play a key role in the development and implementation of new engineering technologies, and in the design and construction of high quality, safe, and environmentally compliant buildings, the Engineering Council says under one per cent of all such UK professional personnel are currently registered at EngTech level.

A quartet of speakers at a London seminar that looked ahead to the challenges facing the sector to 2020 and beyond, held in early November to mark IHEEM’s 70th Anniversary, addressed subjects including how the global healthcare community will tackle a significant future increase in demand for care, the growing pressure to reduce energy consumption, and the predicted migration of much of the care currently provided in large acute hospitals to community healthcare settings and patients’ homes.

In an article that first appeared in Canadian Healthcare Facilities magazine, Kent Waddington, communications director, and Linda Varangu, Executive Director, at the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care, and Peter Berry, senior policy analyst, and Jaclyn Paterson, environmental health specialist, at Health Canada.

In an article first published in The Australian Hospital Engineer, Craig Walter, manager – Emerging Markets, A.G. Coombs Pty, examines some of the key considerations for healthcare estates teams looking at installing cogeneration or trigeneration systems and technology.

The global HIV and tuberculosis (TB) epidemics have placed enormous burdens upon already overstretched healthcare workers and poorly resourced healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa.

In our other article based around operating theatres in this issue of HEJ (see pages 64-72), we examine how some of the latest technology is benefiting users, but in this article – with all areas of the NHS charged with reducing energy consumption and cutting carbon emissions.

A hospital car park needs to balance the demands of patients, visitors, and staff, without, for example, compromising emergency vehicles’ access to the Accident & Emergency Department.

The keynote speeches at this year’s Healthcare Estates conference, which was themed ‘Putting positive energy into healthcare’.

Operating theatre technology has developed significantly in recent years, with increasing automation and control of functions like lighting, pendants, cameras, and viewing screens.

In an article in the April 2013 issue of Health Estate Journal, Geoff Dillow, a former head of training at the forerunner to Eastwood Park, the Hospital Engineering Centre, addressed the roles and responsibilities of personnel involved in the operation and management of medical gas pipeline systems (MGPS).

With IHEEM celebrating its 70th Anniversary this month, HEJ editor, Jonathan Baillie, recently met the Institute’s oldest surviving Past-President, Lawrence Turner OBE.