RECENT NEWS

Health Minister Andy Burnham has announced £100 million funding to help the NHS make further energy savings. He made the pledge as he published a new energy performance report for the NHS in England, showing substantial progress against energy efficiency and carbon emission targets.

It is with great sadness that the East Midlands Branch of the Institute reports that Gordon F Pidcock died in November last year, aged 72.

The International Affairs Committee (IAC) of IHEEM is set up as a standing committee to handle all international perspectives of the Institute’s business.

Designed for aspiring directors and senior managers, the Development Centre Programme supports the national Facilities Management Workforce Strategy.

Due to a recent retirement, the Institute is looking for a member to join the Education Committee.

James Rees has been promoted to be IHEEM’s recruitment and membership manager following the departure of Tammy Simmons. He joined the Institute in June 2006 as membership officer and worked alongside Tammy Simmons.

The Healthcare Estates Conference 2007 will take place on the 16-17 October 2007 at the Harrogate International centre and IHEEM is now inviting potential speakers to submit papers for consideration.

Continuing to strengthen its expertise in the healthcare sector, Stokesley based architectural practice DKS Architects, has provided its services on a recently completed £3m scheme.

NHS Innovations London (NHSIL), the organisation responsible for intellectual property (IP) management within London NHS Trusts, has announced the appointment of James Cochrane as its new chairman and the election of five new board members.

Supply Direct has recently announced its new catering contract with the Kings Lynn NHS Trust. Won in a noncompetitive pitch, Supply Direct will work with the Trust on a one-year trial with an opportunity to extend the contract for an additional three years.

HLM Architects is responsible for the design of the New Victoria Hospital in Glasgow, which has successfully reached financial close under the Government’s PFI procurement route for the provision of major new healthcare facilities in the city.

Healthcare hotel services company Medirest is to introduce the new Dyson Airblade super hand-dryer across its UK food preparation facilities following the recent launch of the innovative and ultra hygienic high speed system by Dyson.

Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) can cost the healthcare sector millions of pounds in supplementary hospital treatments and additional care days, say Ecolab, developer of a new integrated cleaning solution.

MTX Contracts Limited has contributed to the interior of Manchester’s new private Bridgewater Hospital, including areas associated with the operating theatres, IVF facilities and ancillary accommodation. The hospital provides diagnostic, therapeutic, interventional and endoscopic services to patients in the North West.

Digital tagging, or RFID (radio frequency identification), is improving patient safety and managing the location of high cost hospital equipment, according to an article in Health Informatics Now, the magazine from the British Computer Society (BCS) Health Informatics Community.

Property Tectonics has won a two-year framework contract with South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust.

OCS Integrated Services Healthcare has won a five-year contract to supply a range of services to one the UK’s latest independently run NHS orthopaedic and joint replacement treatment centres at Runcorn in Cheshire, covering technical and engineering support, security, cleaning and laundry, portering and catering.

Export success and commitment to the State of Qatar’s healthcare sector is bringing further rewards to Static Systems Group, based in Staffordshire.

The 12 operating theatre suites at the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford are now running at over 90% of available capacity, thanks to the accuracy of the data on its Oasis Patient Administration System (PAS).

Howorth Medical has recently been involved in building a mobile emergency surgical unit comprising a twin barn theatre, laboratories, recovery rooms and a TSSU, which can be transported to each destination in “flat pack” form, for assembly on site.