RECENT NEWS

Leicestershire-based Hill-Rom has agreed a contract with University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) NHS Trust to fully equip its hospitals with new AvantGuard hospital beds, specialist mattresses and furniture, over a phased five year period with a comprehensive contract for services over the next 15 years.

JS Air Curtains has launched a new air curtain that is ideal for hospitals and healthcare premises due to its attractive design and flexible control options. The Standesse air curtain enhances patient and staff comfort in the winter, whilst reducing heating bills by allowing a hospital to leave its doors invitingly open without letting valuable heat escape.

Xerox Global Services (XGS) has issued a warning to the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors about the lack of document and knowledge sharing tools that could "send both sectors into meltdown".

The Royal Society for the Promotion of Health has announced that Darryn Kerr, chief engineer at NHS Estates, has been awarded the 2005 John Edward Worth Silver Medal.

Toprail Systems has supplied its popular Toprail wall furnishing system for use in new operating theatres at the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital (AHCH), Liverpool. The supporting rail itself was installed into several buildings, which were built off-site and supplied by PKL Healthcare. Once the pre-manufactured buildings had arrived on site, hospital staff were quickly able to install the various elements of the Toprail system – cupboards, shelves, worktops and storage bins.

The European Working Group for Legionella Infections (EWGLI) this year held its meeting in Rome, hosted by the Istituto Superiore di Sanita. There were representatives from many countries of the world and presentations detailing where outbreaks occurred, the epidemiology and actions taken. Presentations included treatment therapies and insights into the way LD bacteria are hosted in biofilm found within water systems.

When Longreach House Psychiatric Hospital contacted materials handling specialist MasterMover recently, the hospital was impressed to find a pedestrian operated tug unit that could solve two issues it had with roll cage movement.

A range of smoke and fire dampers, manufactured by air distribution company Gilberts, has been re-engineered and launched at a significantly lower price

The Knockonwood radiator from Jaga Heating Products is now available in ten stunning wood finishes. Adding to the original oak, beech and maple finishes, the company recently extended the wood range to include bleached oak, bleached beech, mahogany, wenge-coloured dark oak, walnut, greyed teak and the distinctive zebrano finishes.

Portakabin subsidiary Yorkon has launched a new DVD to illustrate how off-site construction can be used in the healthcare sector. The product is designed to assist professionals in health authorities and Trusts, who are considering off-site construction for new hospital buildings, treatment centres and extensions. It looks in-depth at one challenging project, from the factory to site and with interviews with senior nursing and estates staff following handover.

As the estates management needs of Trusts change and develop, the role of the helpdesk and management system within estates departments grows ever more vital. And a single system capable of covering multiple services (for example portering, gardening and catering) in addition to estates defect works and planned maintenance is often desirable. According to Bob Harse, development director at system supplier Gramms, using the latest technology can help the modern estates department maximise productivity.

BOC Medical has signed an exclusive agreement to supply one of the UK’s leading private sector healthcare providers with medical gases.

The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) has recommended that all products supplied to the NHS should be identified using a bar code compliant with EAN.UCC standards.

SGB has acquired full ownership of its Mastclimbers joint venture partnership. The company acquired a majority shareholding in Mastclimbers in 2001, growing it from a regional base in Scotland into a national supplier serving the broader UK market. Today, Mastclimbers operates the UK’s largest fleet of rental platforms, with services that extend from project feasibility and design to site erection and dismantling.

Static Systems Group has been awarded the contract for the supply and installation of a nurse call system at the Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands. The project, designed by Nightingale Associates, involves the provision of the company’s Codemlon-Call nurse call system and System 220 bedhead services trunking into the new treatment centre.

Designed to give the professional healthcare market the best light in its category, Luxo’s AIM-100 has advanced optical and mechanical solutions which provide the best working environment for efficient, comfortable and safe procedures. Built in features are shadow reduction, light distribution, spot appearance, intensity and focusing and the flexibility of positioning the luminaire exactly where it is needed.

Members of IHEEM’s Southern Branch met at Rolls-Royce Motor Car’s head office and manufacturing plant in May for a guided tour of the factory.

Luxo has added to its extensive medical lighting product range with the introduction of Patientlite – a wall mounted bed head luminaire. Designed by award winning designer Aleksander Borgenhov, its slim modern design virtually eliminates dust traps and makes cleaning effortless.

Minutes of the 38th Annual General Meeting held at the Blakemore Hotel, 30 Leinster Gardens, London, on Tuesday 10 May 2005.

Proven reliability and efficiency, ultra low emissions, low noise and high quality digital burner controls are the reasons Dunphy Burners have again been selected by the Surrey & Sussex NHS Trust for use at the East Surrey Hospital. 25 years after the company first installed burners at the hospital, it has again beaten off competition to supply new burners for two of the steam boilers.