RECENT NEWS

The Big Bang Fair has launched a nationwide call for companies, activity providers, institutions, and show organisers, to play their part in next year’s Fair, which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 15-18 March 2017.

New security guidance setting out six key principles to guide engineers and technicians in identifying, assessing, managing, and communicating issues about security – developed in consultation with 35 professional engineering institutions – was officially launched at the House of Commons recently at an event hosted by the Rt Hon John Hayes MP, Minister for Security.

Grade II-listed buildings at Central Manchester University Hospital are being restored to their former glory in a £1.5 m refurbishment by Novus Property Solutions.

Brandon Medical’s award-winning operating light, the Quasar eLite, has recently been installed in theatre facilities at two leading healthcare institutions in Nigeria – the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano, and the Divine Medical Centre in Lagos.

Specialist in used medical equipment, Devon Medical, has recently expanded its headquarters in Bristol – almost doubling the size of its work area – following an increase in both staff and business over the past 12 months.

Malcolm Thomson has been elected President of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) for 2016/17

In response to the growing requirement for clean steam, Spirax Sarco has unveiled a dedicated UK clean steam manufacturing facility at its Cheltenham headquarters.

Polyflor has announced the launch of a new CPD seminar on ‘dementia-friendly flooring’, approved by both the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Society of British and International Design (SBID).

Howorth has extended the range of equipment and service it offers to the healthcare sector by becoming the distributor for Trumpf medical operating lights and service pendants throughout England, Scotland, Wales, and the associated Islands.

Simulated fault-finding will play a key part in the high voltage (HV) training now being offered at Eastwood Park’s new in-house HV facility at its Falfield, Gloucestershire site.

A collaborative approach to creating new healthcare facilities in North Lanarkshire, which has transformed health services provision and access for people across East Kilbride, Wishaw and Kilsyth, has demonstrated how local communities can reap expansive benefits when locally based, sustainably focused supply chain partners are appointed.

Construction at a major Yorkshire hospital has received a 90% assessment rating following an independent inspection of how the team involved is ‘respecting’ the community, and working around a challenging live environment.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, one of the largest acute hospital trusts in England, has selected Harland Simon to supply a STANLEY Healthcare real time location tracking system (RTLS) to improve the management of mobile medical devices.

Mitie’s pest control business has introduced a new drain survey service specifically to identify pest breaches and infestations that would not ordinarily be detected in clients’ pipes and sewers.

Precious metals specialists are calling on NHS trusts to assess their stocks of x-ray film and organise a cull of out of date records, to take advantage of a staggering 63 per cent rise in the price of silver in just five months. Many recycling firms offer a rebate based on the silver embedded in the film which, in the right market conditions, can generate a sizeable income.

Veolia have loaned an eco-vehicle to Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust by to help reduce fuel emissions around its estate.

Bender UK has appointed David Williamson as National Sales Manager for its advanced range of products and services designed for the medical sector.

A new independent consulting practice specialising in water quality in the built environment of London has been established by Dr Nick Hill BSc MSc MBA (Oxon) PhD DIC CBiol MSB FIHEEM (see also pages 29-35), chair of IHEEM’s Water Technical Platform.

Ingenica Mobility, a real-time barcode scanning ‘app’ for use by clinicians recently launched by Ingenica Solutions, is claimed to be the first application in the healthcare market designed on an Android platform for the Zebra MC18 mobility device, and enables the track and trace of inventory ‘to patient level’ in hospitals.

Over the past year, mobile fleet operator, Vanguard Healthcare, has been providing additional clinical capacity to Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and both parties have acknowledged the partnership’s success.