RECENT NEWS

The importance of good hand hygiene, the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, and the need to ‘reduce reservoirs of infection’ in the healthcare environment, are key points in a new, ‘highly informative and thought-provoking’ CPD presentation from specialist in temperature control for water systems, Horne Engineering.

Europe is seeing rapid growth in the market for ‘Smart Connected HVAC’ – heating, cooling or air conditioning systems connected to a network – usually the internet – enabling their performance to be monitored and analysed, research from consultancy, test, instruments and research organisation, BSRIA, reveals.

VINCI Construction UK has started work on a new 14,728 m2 specialist hospital facility in Birmingham, which will provide acute care to private patients in the region, as well as providing extra capacity and access to specialist facilities for NHS patients.

Imperial College London has opened its biggest new academic building in a generation, describing the £167 m Molecular Sciences Research Hub on the College’s White City Campus as ‘the UK’s most significant scientific development since the Francis Crick Institute, and the largest investment in a university building in 21st century London’.

A new playroom for children at West Middlesex University Hospital, funded with the support of the ‘local community to hospital’ charity CW+’s Sun and Stars Appeal, was officially opened on 10 April by the Mayor of Hounslow, Councillor Samia Chaudhary.

Young patients, their families, and staff, were central to the design process, with specialist indoor play manufacturer, Tigerplay – who CW+ commissioned for the project. There was a particular focus on traditional play such as cars, trucks, a playhouse, and kitchen toys.

The Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) has worked in collaboration with a Cross System Group, comprising key representatives of organisations across the health and care sector, to establish what it describes as ‘significant sustainability commitments’ on behalf of 10 Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs).

BSI, the business improvement company, has significantly revised the 2001 edition of the original British Standard for fire safety engineering, BS 7974, and has published a new version entitled BS 7974:2019 - Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings.

Medical Air Technology (MAT) has completed another successful theatre refurbishment, this time at the Countess of Chester Hospital. This 600-bed large district general hospital, operated by the Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust, serves patients from Western Cheshire, Ellesmere Port, Neston and North Wales.

Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care, Baroness Nicola Blackwood, has announced up to £56 million in funding ‘for research into the biggest challenges facing public health’.

A leading lift and escalator expert, Eur Ing Dave Cooper, managing director of UK-based independent lift, escalator, and vertical transport consultant, LECS (UK), will give a free presentation focusing on ‘the lift and escalator for 2019’ in Central London on 4 April, starting at 12.30pm.

Control of UK-headquartered international support services, construction, and equipment services company, Interserve, which provides a range of construction and facilities management services to the healthcare sector, has moved to a new company after administrators were appointed.

Specialist contractor, Medical Air Technology (MAT), has upgraded Theatre 2 at Fairfield Independent Hospital in St Helens, Merseyside, one of the few remaining independent charitable hospitals in the country, to ultraclean with the addition of one of its ECO-flow ultraclean ventilation (UCV) system.

MAT was appointed after the hospital undertook a formal tender process and the board approved its business case, which the company says ‘demonstrated a clear understanding of the requirements and project drivers, supported by straightforward, concise project proposals that gave cost certainty and evidence of flexibility of installation to meet surgical demands’. In addition to the theatre refit, MAT carried out hydrogen peroxide disinfection of both theatre suites and the surrounding department. The installation was completed in just 18 working days over the Christmas and New Year period to ensure a prompt handover.

Cowan Architects has announced that it has incorporated Alexander Sedgley Architects of Greenwich into its East Grinstead and London Bridge practice, with immediate effect.

A new report from independent charity, The Health Foundation, concludes that ‘a short-termist approach’ has resulted in ‘years of declining and inadequate capital spending for the NHS in England, risking patient care and staff productivity’.

The Government has published both a ‘20-year Vision’ and ‘5-year National Action Plan’ for how the UK will contribute to containing and controlling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by 2040.

Following ‘a rigorous evaluation’, E-CO says the Infection Prevention Society (IPS) panel has ‘officially endorsed’ its Ultra Violet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) technology.

The Engineering Council has worked with BSI to develop an internationally applicable Publicly Available Specification (PAS 525) for assessing the competence and commitment of engineering professionals.

Built environment and estates consultancy, Essentia Trading Ltd (ETL), has overseen and managed a complex refurbishment project to create a specialist unit both for young people requiring long-term ventilation, and those receiving neuro rehabilitation care, for the Evelina London Children’s Hospital, operated by the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

ENGIE has secured 22-year, £1.3 bn facilities management contract at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, with the scope including ‘total FM’, project works, and lifecycle management.

Over a million people will spend public funds on their own behalf through a personal budget, says a new report, Proceed with caution: What makes personal budgets work?’, from public services ‘think tank’, Reform.