RECENT NEWS

Spire Healthcare – reportedly the UK’s first independent sector healthcare provider to commit to become carbon neutral by 2030 – has embarked on ‘a landmark project’ to install 12,155 solar panels at all its 38 hospitals across England, Wales, and Scotland this year.

NHS Property Services has re-launched its established, award-winning space management system, NHS Open Space, which it says ‘will help benefit customers, landlords, and patients across the entire health system’.

Demand for biodegradable flushable wipes is set to rise significantly following the Government’s decision to ban versions containing plastic, but – says DDC Dolphin – many ‘flushable’ wipes are not fully biodegradable, and can thus still block sluice machines, toilets, drains, and sewers.

Academics at Aston University are teaming up with Stoke-on-Trent-based medical product company, PFE Medical, which supplies endoscopy and healthcare disposables, to improve the cleaning of endoscopes.

Siemens Healthineers has announced it is investing £250 million in a new facility in North Oxfordshire that will design and manufacture superconducting magnets used in healthcare facilities globally for MRI patient scans.

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) has launched a new initiative to reduce single-use water bottles, installing hydration stations at two high-footfall locations at two of its hospitals that dispense free water refills for visitors and staff using their own reusable drinks vessel.

This summer Horne Engineering, the specialist manufacturer of thermostatic showers, taps, and valves, is encouraging specifiers across the healthcare estate to take advantage of the better weather to ‘explore innovative thermostatic and temperature control solutions’ for their facilities via its mobile exhibition, or Roadshow.

CABE (the Chartered Association of Building Engineers) has announced that Richard Harral, formerly the Association’s Technical director, has been formally announced as its new Chief Executive.

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive, Peter Lewis, recently joined Trust clinicians, representatives from InHealth – which will provide radiology and endoscopy services, Trust strategic estates partner, Prime plc, and funders, M&G Investment, at the ground breaking for a new diagnostic centre at Yeovil District Hospital.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) says it is improving care for people in some of Scotland’s most deprived communities – having converted a bus into a specialist clinic and taking it to their doorstep.

Genr8 Kajima Regeneration and its partnership with Newcastle University (Newcastle Genr8 Kajima) have secured planning consent for the £500 million Health Innovation Neighbourhood masterplan – which it says will which transform a former 29-acre general hospital site in the north-east city into ‘a new, ambitious neighbourhood’ combining housing, alongside public realm allied to modern healthcare, education, and community facilities that will ‘foster research, innovation, and enterprise’.

Willmott Dixon has been appointed as main contractor on the £60 m Greenheys development at Manchester Science Park for Bruntwood SciTech.

Monkwearmouth Development – a joint venture between Sir Robert McAlpine Capital Ventures and Argon Property Development Solutions, with funding from Railpen, has handed over its first development to NTW Solutions at Monkwearmouth Hospital in Sunderland.

Modern Methods of Construction specialist, MTX, has secured the dual contract to build Community Diagnostic Centres in Lincoln and Skegness (see artist’s impression), giving patients in Lincolnshire improved access to NHS diagnostic procedures including CT, X-ray, and ultrasound.

Airedale General Hospital near Keighley is using a new geospatial system to help manage its RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) monitoring and repairs programme.

Procurement organisation and social enterprise, Fusion21, has announced the renewal of its national Materials Supply and Associated Services Framework, worth up to £250 million over four years, and is inviting bids from interested suppliers providing regional or national coverage.

Crown Dale Medical Centre in Norwood, south-east London, is celebrating one year of success following a £3 million refurbishment commissioned by the former Clinical Commissioning Group – now NHS South East London Integrated Care Board – after the previous site was deemed unfit for purpose.

The striking new Royal Eye Infirmary (REI) created offsite for Derriford Hospital in Plymouth by Modern Methods of Construction specialist, MTX, is helping to meet the increasing demand for eye surgery and treatment from across Devon and Cornwall.

ICS Cool Energy, an international temperature control solutions specialist for manufacturing process and facilities applications, has opened a new training suite at its facility in Totton, Southampton.

A safety system for plant said by the company to be the market’s ‘most advanced AI human form recognition device’ has won technology solutions specialist, Safety Shield Global, the King’s Award for Enterprise.