RECENT NEWS

Gainsborough Specialist Bathing, a division of the Care in Bathing group which supplies, installs, and provides product support for, assistive baths, has integrated the Abacus Healthcare brand into its operations to extend its portfolio of products for all care environments.

A new Pegler Yorkshire antimicrobial copper hospital mixer tap has been designed in line with Health Protection Agency (HPA) recommendations, following the Agency’s investigation last year into Pseudomonas aeruginosa on biofilms in water tap assemblies from Northern Irish neonatal units (HEJ – May and June 2012).

The online CPD recording system, MyPath, launched in 2010, accessible via the IHEEM website, and which many members have since taken advantage of, has been ‘rebranded’, and is now called ‘mycareerpath’.

IHEEM is seeking candidates to contribute to its Resilience and Sustainability Advisory Group. The aim of the Group is to provide information and guidance for members, and to advise on matters of special interest as they arise.

To better serve its members and the wider healthcare estates industry, IHEEM has formed ‘alliances’ with two professional trade associations that share aims with the Institute.

IHEEM has announced the appointment of David Easton MSc CEng FIHEEM MIET (pictured) as the chair of the Institute’s Medical Devices Advisory Group (MDAG).

This year’s Healthcare Estates Exhibition & Conference is set to be the biggest yet, with more exhibiting companies, more delegates, and a growth in visitors expected.

Microbiological research by low surface temperature radiator specialist, Contour Casings, is ‘beginning to shed light’ on the levels of potentially harmful bacteria present inside some radiator guards in healthcare environments.

Fulbourn Medical and Maquet Hospital Solutions recently worked together as turnkey project partners to provide a new operating theatre at Southampton General Hospital, which has been located within a clean store area at the end of an existing theatre corridor.

The Newcastle University School of Dental Sciences has chosen Brandon Medical’s HD-LED examination lighting for its Clinical Simulation Unit (CSU). A key requirement was for low-level, rather than ceiling-mounted, lighting, to enable the viewing of wall-mounted training screens.

Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health (DH), Dr Dan Poulter (pictured), last month wrote to the chief executives, finance directors, and estates and facilities directors, at all English NHS Trusts, advising them of a new £290 million fund that the Government has made available to help public sector organisations sell surplus land.

Eastwood Park’s water hygiene course portfolio has been refreshed to deliver what the training establishment says is ‘a more clearly defined and concise learning opportunity, equipping healthcare estates teams with practical water hygiene skills in a shorter timeframe’.

BSRIA has launched a new guide (BB 44/2013, ISBN 9780860227182 ) to ‘seasonal commissioning’.

Mace has handed over the first phase of a proposed 10 at London’s Chelsea & Westminster Hospital to the Chelsea & Westminster NHS Foundation Trust.

The Kent Institute of Medicine & Surgery (KIMS), an £85 m new hospital which the developers say will ‘transform acute and specialist health provision in the county’, had its ‘topping out’ on 11 February.

An engaging new wall within the children’s emergency department at St George’s Hospital, Tooting, has brightened up a long corridor previously painted white that families and children had found ‘daunting’.

The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) and the Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) are promoting the introduction of ‘Nutrition Advocates’ to help raise awareness of the importance of nutrition in all UK social and health care settings.

Cossham Memorial Hospital in Kingswood, Bristol, has re-opened to patients following an extensive £19 m refurbishment by NHS South Gloucestershire.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, which has worked with the company since 2006, has extended by two years its relationship with international ‘total facilities management provider’, OCS.

Specialist in the integration of operating theatre equipment, Maquet, and Aesculap, which manufactures products ranging from surgical instruments and endoscopic systems to suture material, implants, and sterile containers, have announced a ‘sales partnership’.