The 2012 IHEEM Healthcare Estates annual conference is on track to beat the number of delegates who attended the 2011 event, with over 400 attendees expected this year, say organisers i2i Events Group.
“In early July there were already more than 170 attendees confirmed for the conference, which takes place at Manchester Central from 9-10 October,” said i2i Events Group. “NHS estates professionals from over 30 organisations make up some 46% of delegates who have already booked places. With a number of exciting recent additions to the programme, there is now even better delegate content, including a quartet of Department of Health speakers: deputy director, NHS Estates & Facilities Policy Division, Peter Sellars (HEJ – June 2012); estates colleague, Paul Roberts, who is risk management advisor/guidance development lead, NHS Estates & Facilities; Dr Elizabeth Jones, head of Patient Environment, and Rachael Whittaker, Patient-led Inspections Programme Officer.
A chance to ‘take stock’
“The conference provides an excellent opportunity for the estates community to take stock of the changing environment heralded by the Health and Social Care Act through expert-led plenary sessions. In addition, the focused best practice stream sessions will help estates leaders take control of the improvements they need to make to drive efficiencies and quality within their organisations.” “Full details on the programme are available at www.healthcare-estates.org.uk The early booking rate ends on 7 September, so book your place soon before delegate rates increase – and remember that there are discounted prices for NHS staff and IHEEM members. Places are also going fast for the IHEEM Annual Awards Dinner on 9 October at Manchester’s Midland Hotel. To book places, visit the same website address.” According to the organisers of this year’s exhibition, Step Exhibitions, meanwhile, with ‘a surge in recent bookings’, by the middle of August all stand space is likely to be fully booked, two months before the show opens. Steve Webb, exhibition director, said: “Healthcare Estates currently has over 140 exhibitors confirmed. Within the past few weeks organisations to have joined the list of exhibitors include Ideal Standard, Mitie, Gleeds, GE Corporate, Pegler, powerPerfector, Turner & Townsend, and Kone. We have also signed up Specialist Joinery Group, Fast Park, NJL Custodial, P4 Fastell, Swallow EMP, Artinsite, Fine Green Associates, and Tobermore.”
Driving down energy costs
One company to book a stand recently is powerPerfector. “We view Healthcare Estates as an excellent opportunity to network with those with a responsibility for reducing energy costs in healthcare,” says Wayne Muncaster, head of sales. “Thirtysix NHS Trusts are already benefiting from our VPO technology, and have reduced their electricity bills, and ensured greater security of supply, by harnessing our integrated power conditioning technology.” Jim Woolley, UK business development manager at Kone, another company to recently sign up, said: “Kone is the world’s only company to bring together, into one strategic portfolio, elevators, escalators, and doors – all critical elements in successful ‘people flow’ within any healthcare facility. We are very excited that we will have the opportunity to share our technology and innovations with the many influential visitors expected at this year’s Healthcare Estates exhibition.”
Complimentary presentations
In line with the rapid take-up of exhibition space, Steve Webb says pre-registrations for both exhibition visitors and conference delegates are up. He adds: “With a number of new initiatives this year, the exhibition will provide really valuable information for visitors and delegates alike. There will be over 20 hours of complimentary presentations, with three theatres on the exhibition floor, including two new areas providing highly relevant content. We have worked very hard to provide relevant and timely content which will link directly with that in the IHEEM annual conference that runs at the same time. Key topics set to be addressed within the conference will include the implications of the Health and Social Care Bill, the future of healthcare design, and the new NHS PropCo, and all these will be reflected in our feature areas at the exhibition, which will be manned by representatives from construction companies, architects working in healthcare, NHS professionals, and exhibitors.” One of this year’s new exhibition features will be the Contractors & Architects Theatre, where among those presenting will be ProCure21+, Architects for Health, Stantec Anshen+Allen, ADP, Elliott Group, and AFL Architects. Topics covered will include:
• What are specifiers looking for, and what criteria do they use?
• Exemplar new hospitals (including the new Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Kent, and the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen) – design and community challenges.
• ‘Frameworks and how to use them’.
• Refurbishment and making current facilities/estates fit-for-purpose.
‘Roundtable’ events
Steve Webb said: “The second new area (supported by Capita Symonds, with two additional service firms to be confirmed shortly), meanwhile, is the Estates Management & Consultants Theatre, which will see a series of roundtables held each morning from 10.00 am to 11.00 am, each able to cater for up to 10 people, covering key topics.” Subjects covered will include:
• Estate rationalisation and space optimisation.
• How estates operations, assets, and activities, integrate within NHS Trusts (Strategic asset management).
• Alternative use of property.
• Outsourcing property management.
• How can service firms help NHS Trusts to ‘understand’ their estates?
The exhibition area will also incorporate two other theatres, where visitors will able to listen, free-of-charge, to presentations. The Health Estate Journal Product Showcase Theatre will feature case study-based presentations showcasing some of the latest products and technology targeted at the sector, delivered by exhibitors, in some cases presenting jointly with end-users such as NHS Trusts. Day 1 presentations will focus on the theme of ‘Wasted energy is wasted money’, while the Day 2 theme will be ‘Improving the patient environment’.
Sustainability spotlighted
Steve Webb said: “Last year the BRE Sustainability Theatre proved very popular, and in 2012 the Theatre will offer a programme running over the show’s two days that will include a number of case studies addressing design, safety, BREEAM, and refurbishment in healthcare. Day 1 presentations will focus on ‘Design & Safety’, building on discussion and debate from the last two Healthcare Estates events, and there will also be opportunities to hear about the new DQI tools (successors to the AEDET tools), listen to case study presentations on successful design projects, and to learn more on how to implement effective fire safety measures in healthcare premises using the latest evidence-based knowledge.” Day 2 will address ‘BREEAM & Refurbishment’. Steve Webb elaborates: “BREEAM 2011 continues to create much debate. While last year’s Healthcare Estates conference, of course, saw the first ‘BREEAM Outstanding’ certificate awarded (to the Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust), many Trusts are finding achieving ‘BREEAM Excellent’ challenging. Interactive sessions will examine BREEAM 2011 and sustainable refurbishment, and how BREEAM tools such as BREEAM In-use can help, reinforced by case studies.”
New supporting organisations
Step Exhibitions has also announced two new supporting organisations; the Design in Mental Health Network will hold its quarterly meeting on the morning of 9 October at the Manchester event for members and other leading individuals within the mental health sector, representatives from the Department of Health, and exhibitors, followed by ‘an exhibition walk-around’. “This is a fantastic opportunity to engage with key mental health professionals and find out what they are looking for for their facilities over the next few years,” said Steve Webb. The second new supporting organisation this year, the National Association of Healthcare Fire Officers (NAHFO), will be holding an afternoon workshop on 9 October within the exhibition area, open to members, affiliates, and exhibitors, covering hospital fire safety topics, and some of the latest fire prevention, alarm, and control systems. NAHFO General Secretary, Peter Aldridge, said: “Working with Healthcare Estates and IHEEM provides a great opportunity for NAHFO members to better get to know the healthcare estates sector and the challenges it faces, and enables the Association to establish liaison with other bodies on matters of common interest.”
