FEATURE ARTICLES

Health Estate Journal outlines highlights from the forthcoming Health Facilities Management Association (HEFMA) conference, and previews a selection of products and services from the accompanying exhibition.

Health Estate Journal reviews IDEAs – a new web-based tool for Trusts working with architects and design consultants to develop their briefs and design ideas for healthcare environments.

An evaluation of the antimicrobial properties of sanitising product TECare by Dr A Taylor MB CHB, et al. – Leesbrook Surgery, Lees, Oldham.

Issues relating to the security of hospital premises are examined by Henrik Kiertzner MBCS CITP MIEE FRSA, associate director, Arup Security and Risk Consulting.

The recent Futurebuild event provided insights into how modern construction methods can improve the delivery of healthcare facilities. Jason Rayfield reports.

This Health Estate Journal ‘Then and now’ feature focuses on the importance of earth loop testing in ensuring electrical safety. The first part of the feature is by John Stephens, principal partner of Walnut Lodge Services, and the second section consists of a slightly edited version of an article by J.V. Gomersall (DFH, Graduate IEE) that was published in the August 1960 issue of The Hospital Engineer, the journal of The Institution of Hospital Engineers (now IHEEM).

Jason Rayfield reports on the recently completed Pharmaceuticals Production Suite within the new Pharmacy and Pathology Building at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.

For the K"nigin Elisabeth Hospital in Berlin, Germany, changes to the way it receives revenue necessitated the implementation of a new computer system to measure efficiency based on patient data rather than duration of treatment.

When health service managers were faced with rumours and misinformation about the fire performance within buildings that use insulated panels, a concerted effort to restore confidence was required. Mark Harris, building technology director of Kingspan Insulated Panels, charts developments and finds the market reassured.

Manufacturer Blücher commissioned Building Performance Group (BPG) to provide a whole life cost assessment of four alternative internal waste drainage systems which may be used in an acute hospital. HEJ reports.

As surgical instrument decontamination services continue to be reshaped, attitudes of positiveness and co-operation need to be firmly adopted, a conference held recently by the Institute of Decontamination Sciences was told. Nicholas Marshall reports.

Stephen Butt MIHEA, manager, Asset Management, Greater Southern Area Health Service, NSW, Australia, examines the obtaining of significantly more from plant improvements than energy efficiency and an improved ‘green’ profile. This article is formed from a paper presented at the 56th National Conference of the Institute of Hospital Engineering Australia, and similar text has been published in The Australian Hospital Engineer, the magazine of the IHEA.

Ideas for optimising the management of waste and hazardous materials in the medical field are provided by Ing. Monika Schaffer MSc who has responsibility for waste management at the Vienna General Hospital in Austria. This article is based on a paper presented at the 1st European Conference on Healthcare Engineering held in Baden-Baden, Germany, last September. The conference was staged by the European Competence Center of Healthcare Engineering, an organisation formed by a group of associations most of which are members of the International Federation of Hospital Engineering. Health Estate Journal is grateful to Monika Schaffer, the ECCHE, and the IFHE for their help in providing the article for publication.

Developments in the UK’s Firecode for hospital fire safety are profiled by Professor David Charters PhD CEng MIMechE FIFireE MSFPE, director of fire engineering, BRE Fire and Security, UK. This article is based on a paper presented at the 1st European Conference on Healthcare Engineering held in Baden- Baden, Germany, last September. The conference was staged by the European Competence Center of Healthcare Engineering, an organisation formed by a group of associations most of which are members of the International Federation of Hospital Engineering. Health Estate Journal is grateful to Prof Charters, the ECCHE and IFHE for their help in providing the article for publication.

With its striking design incorporating the needs of young patients and their families, the new Evelina Children’s Hospital in London has been described as “a hospital unlike any other”. Health Estate Journal reports.

The use of colour in the healthcare built environment to optimise patient outcomes is hugely important – and has been emphasised for many years. For this Health Estate Journal ‘Then and now’ feature focusing on the subject of colour, Nicholas Marshall provides an introduction to an article which was published in July 1950 in The Hospital Engineer, the official journal of The Institution of Hospital Engineers (now IHEEM). The 1950 article was formed from a talk given to the Institution by A.R. Barlow Esq and has been slightly amended for publication in HEJ.

Laura Bayliss, lighting designer with BDP Lighting, questions the quantitative approach to lighting for healthcare – and makes the case for creative lighting design. This article was originally published in the Institution of Lighting Engineers’ The Lighting Journal in summer 2005, after winning the ILE-sponsored “Best Written Paper” in the 2005 Young Lighters Awards.

By fostering teamwork and promoting transparent and efficient ways of working, the ProCure21 scheme is helping to change the healthcare environment for the better, according to Mike Douglas, director and chairman and Amrit Naru, healthcare team leader, Netts Architects.

Risk of explosion and fire in operating theatres used to be significant. For this Health Estate Journal ‘Then and now’ feature, Mike Arrowsmith BSc (Hons) CEng FIMechE FIHEEM, technical editor, provides commentary on an article which was published in December 1945 in the second issue of The Hospital Engineer, a publication – then taking the form of a newsletter – of The Institution of Hospital Engineers. The 1945 article was formed from a short paper read at an Institution branch meeting, and a slightly amended version of the article text follows the commentary.

Jason Rayfield explores the implications of the increasing use of private sector funding, risk management, competition principles and expertise for NHS healthcare delivery.