RECENT NEWS

Every ambulance Trust in England is to benefit from greater access to the Ordnance Survey’s most detailed digital geographic information (GI).

DLG Architects has been retained by HBOS and the Clerical Medical Investment Group to complete enabling works on the UK’s first NHS walk-in centre for commuters in a city shopping complex.

The Office of Communications has concluded an investigation into the price of telephone calls to hospital bedside telephone systems and no further action will be taken by Ofcom at this time. However, it still has concerns about the level of charges for incoming calls to hospital patients.

The Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Birmingham, under the leadership of Professor Michael Frenneaux, has recently acquired an MiE Low Energy Mobile Scintron gamma camera in order to undertake clinical research in heart failure patients.

Healthcare hotel services company Medirest has been awarded a two-year contract extension worth £28 million in total turnover to provide catering, cleaning, portering and vending services to Hammersmith, Charing Cross, Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea and Ravenscourt Park Hospitals in west London for the Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust.

A top government delegation from the Malaysian Ministry of Health made a special visit to MediChem International which is based in Kent and which manufactures hospital and veterinary disinfectants.

TMC Ltd, a leading provider of global corporate communications has announced the global launch of The Messaging Centre (TMC). This is a powerful, web-based SMS (Short Message Service) platform designed to enhance business communications and continuity within Government healthcare departments, private GP practices, dental surgeries, hospitals, and individuals with a company or personal mobile phone.

Mary Hyland from Eaton Wick, near Windsor, has become the 50,000th NHS patient to have a procedure performed in a mobile operating theatre unit.

The Department of Health Estates and Facilities Division has issued an alert regarding infrared personal attack alarm systems from various manufacturers/suppliers.

Siemens Medical Solutions and Dudley Hospital NHS Trust have selected Capula to supply and implement its Oasis Patient Administration System (PAS) as part of the ongoing PFI project at the Trust.

In a move that is likely to attract significant attention in global healthcare and financial markets, Network Healthcare Holdings (Netcare) has announced its acquisition of a controlling interest in General Healthcare Group Limited (GHG), the leading UK private hospital organisation.

Draeger Medical UK has announced the first UK installation of the Zeus anaesthesia system, one of the most advanced clinical anaesthesia systems in the world, at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Tens of thousands of people living in the West Midlands and the North West are set to benefit from a £1 billion redevelopment of NHS hospitals in Birmingham and St Helens.

Together with Welsh Health Estates, the Welsh IHEEM branch recently held its second conference at the Cardiff Hilton, Cardiff, and the event was judged by participants to be highly valuable.

Being developed is the 2007 IHEEM Wall Planner. A 11 cm x 7 cm colour advertisement on the planner costs £375 + VAT.

A Continuing Professional Development short course on Specialised Ventilation in Healthcare Premises (SVHP) is scheduled to take place from 18 to 20 July 2006. The course is organised by the University of Leeds and this will be the fifth time it has been run.

Minutes of the 39th Annual General Meeting held at the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, 1 Carlton House Terrace, London, on Tuesday 16 May 2006.

The Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) has announced the appointment of Sir Gareth Roberts, FREng FRS, as chairman with effect from its annual general meeting on 6 June 2006. Sir Gareth succeeds Sir Peter Williams who is retiring from the board, having been its chairman since its formation in late 2001.

Installed as IHEEM’s new president at the Institute’s recently-held Annual General Meeting was Phil Nedin B.Eng C.Eng FIHEEM, MIMechE, MCIBSE, DipMgmt.

Due to popular demand, IHEEM is to stage a further MEIGaN seminar – this time in Scotland.