RECENT NEWS

With the recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) report commending “the majority of NHS trusts for improving infection control”, while urging Trusts to “remain vigilant and strive for further improvement”, training provider to the NHS Eastwood Park is to stage a one-day seminar, “Infection Control – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”, on 9 June at its Falfield, Gloucestershire training centre.

Ten acute trusts, six primary care trusts, four mental health care trusts and one ambulance trust have had conditions imposed on them, based, in a number of cases, on their current failure to “achieve required standards for infection control”, as part of the first ever registration of NHS Trusts by new regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The British Institute of Facilities Management, which “provides information, education, training and networking services” for over 12,000 members – both individual professionals and organisations, has launched a new brand identity to reflect a change in its mission statement and “a renewed focus on progress”.

Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark. Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust CEO Glenn Douglas and senior representatives from PFI partner Laing O’Rourke and other companies involved in the construction attended a celebratory event on 3 April to mark the first year’s construction of the Pembury Hospital in Kent (HEJ – June 2008), set to be the UK’s first new large-scale acute hospital to feature 100% single-bed accommodation.

The Prince of Wales has officially opened the Royal Hospital Chelsea’s new Margaret Thatcher Infirmary, designed by Steffian Bradley Architects to bring “state-of-the-art facilities” to the Chelsea Pensioners.

First Minister of Scotland, the Rt. Hon Alex Salmond MSP, was guest of honour on 25 March at the topping out of the new PFI-funded Forth Valley Acute Hospital near Falkirk.

The Engineering Council UK (ECUK) has noticed “a marked increase” in the number of engineering professionals enquiring about registration for Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and Engineering Technician (EngTech) status.

A new report produced as part of the White Rose Health Innovation Partnership programme by Dr Chris Herbert of Medipex – the NHS Innovation Hub for the Yorkshire and Humber region, should provide healthcare technology companies with “an essential overview” of the purchasing and supply procedure of the NHS and national procurement landscape.

AquaCare Water Hygiene Services, a supplier of water hygiene services and risk assessments to healthcare, local government, and education establishments, has appointed Jon Vinall as business development manager to develop its water treatment business.

Nightingale Associates has been shortlisted for a regional RIBA design award for its £4 m Renal & Cardiac Unit at West Wales General Hospital in Carmarthen.

With this year’s Healthcare Estates conference and exhibition in Harrogate now under six months away, the organisers say the event is all set to be the biggest staged to date, with the wide-ranging conference programme set to tackle many of the everyday operational issues, as well as the wider strategic topics, exercising the minds of health estates professionals up and down the land.

Architects for Health (AfH) is inviting architectural students to submit projects for consideration for the third annual Student Design Award for 2009 (see also HEJ – October 2008).

Interactive sessions on “making carbon a corporate issue” and practical case studies examining ways to achieve carbon reduction locally will feature as part of an IHEEM-supported Health Service Journal conference being held in London on 7 July.

HLM Architects has been selected to work on projects under the Frameworks Scotland programme, which will deliver £150 million of capital works each year on behalf of Scotland’s Health Boards.

Sodexo Healthcare has won a five-year contract from Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to improve catering services at the Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals in Ascot and Slough in Berkshire.

Welsh Assembly Health Minister Edwina Hart has marked the start of work on the new £2.5 million Gwrych Medical Centre, in Abergele, North Wales, by cutting the first sod.

A rapid portable test for MRSA, a hydrogen peroxide vapour system for decontaminating enclosed rooms, wards and equipment, and steam cleaning technology for safe removal of harmful pathogens, were among new technologies to help combat healthcareassociated infections (HCAIs) recognised recently at the first HCAI Technology Innovation Programme Awards.

Warrington Hospital’s new £6.25 million intensive care unit has opened to its first patients. Equipped with 16 critical care beds, it increases the hospital’s capacity for caring for critically ill patients from across the Warrington and Halton areas.

Business and financial adviser Grant Thornton has promoted Giles Newman to partner within the healthcare team in its London office