RECENT NEWS

A recent North West Branch technical seminar hosted by Whitecroft Lighting in Ashton-under-Lyne, and chaired by Cundall Engineering Consultancy, focused on ‘Biodynamic lighting and advances in LED technology’, writes Branch Secretary, Tony Winter, energy and environmental manager, Technical Services, at the Tameside Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Thirty-eight members of IHEEM’s Northern Ireland Branch recently enjoyed a memorable two-day visit to Switzerland, with a tour of the Geberit Headquarters, in Rapperswil, Zurich, the Branch chair, Joanna Dougherty, writes.

This year’s Healthcare Estates Conference, Exhibition, and Dinner, taking place from 7-8 October at Manchester Central (GMEX), will be ‘even bigger’, the organisers, Step Exhibitions, say, with the outline conference programme set to be announced in April, and ‘further details on the positive impact for exhibitors’ due to be unveiled next month.

Work has begun on a new £6 million hybrid endovascular theatre suite at Manchester Royal Infirmary, due for completion this April.

Brandon Medical has launched a range of LED examination lights that it believes are the most advanced such products available worldwide.

BeaconMedaes says ‘stringent earthquake testing’ has seen it become the world’s first medical air equipment supplier to have its products rated ‘earthquake-proof’.

The Department of Health has published revised HBN guidance on the technical design and output specifications of windows and associated hardware.

Fabricator of windows, doors, curtain walling, and fencing systems, Britplas, says NHS Trusts and private healthcare companies across the UK, and other healthcare providers worldwide, entrust the company with the provision and installation of healthcare windows.

Capita has been appointed by NHS Scotland’s Health Facilities Scotland (HFS) as survey partners for Phase 5 in the implementation of an estates asset management system for the NHS estate in Scotland.

Crown Commercial Service (CSS) formerly known as the Government Procurement Service, and the NHS London Procurement Partnership (LPP), have reintroduced the Energy Managers Forum for the NHS in London and the surrounding regions, ‘to tackle the challenges of energy demand management and cost control’.

The Engineering Council (see also pages 18-22) has welcomed an announcement made by the Government which sets out its implementation plan for reform of Apprenticeships, building on the recommendations of the Richard Review.

Edwina Hart AM, Welsh Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, has officially opened the £30 million Hadyn Ellis Building in Cardiff, dubbing it ‘one of the most beautiful buildings I have seen’.

Twenty-seven NHS Trusts are participating in a year-long pilot ‘to prove that going to market as a single entity will deliver huge savings to the NHS’. Led by the NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) and the Department of Health, the pilot has project support provided by procurement collaborative, NHS London Procurement Partnership, and is directed by a steering board comprising representatives of the DH, NHS England, TDA, LPP, and Trusts.

Starkstrom says SATS, its new automatic transfer switch, can ‘build even more resilience’ into the specialist medical electrical power supply systems for high care areas that the company has installed in hospitals for over 20 years.

A new trackless mobile shelving system that ‘promises to transform high density storage’ has been launched by Link 51. .

Electrical manufacturer, Legrand, is to enter the UK assisted living and healthcare sectors following the acquisition of North East-based manufacturer, Tynetec.

A new software upgrade to Vernacare’s Vortex pulp disposal unit, available on all new and existing machines, includes an enhanced fault code update for easier diagnosis, and a new optional auto-start feature.

Howorth Air Technology, which has already successfully completed many projects throughout Spire Healthcare’s UK hospitals, has installed its new Exflow Evolution Screenless ultraclean ventilation canopy at the Spire Washington Hospital, replacing the hospital’s existing UCV canopy, from a different supplier.

Delabie’s seminar on ‘Managing the Risk of Waterborne Infection’ has achieved RIBA approval.

Construction has started of a new £5 million Cancer Care Centre and Pathology Essential Services Laboratory (CCC-ESL) at Wigan’s Royal Albert Edward Infirmary.