The theme for this year’s Healthcare Estates Conference is ‘Putting positive energy into healthcare’, ‘reflecting the key issue of cost savings, sustainability, and the changing nature of the healthcare sector’.
Steve Webb, show director at Step Exhibitions, said: “With NHS Trusts still (according to recent research) 4.6% behind the NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy target of slashing carbon emissions by 10% by 2015, based on a 2008 baseline, the Government has recently announced that it is making £50 million worth of capital available to fund innovative energy-saving interventions. Now the Department of Health is providing capital for Trusts to invest in reducing energy use, cutting carbon emissions, and improving resilience to climate change.
Re-investing in frontline care
“Projects successful in securing funds will help the Department to develop best practice guidance and evidence for further use across the NHS, and to demonstrate what is being achieved in pursuit of the NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy. This fund will give hospitals the go-ahead for a variety of projects that will help them to reduce energy consumption and, as a result, the amount they pay.” Step Exhibitions, organisers of Healthcare Estates 2013, have confirmed The Carbon and Energy Fund as a main supporter. It will work closely with the organisers in providing content for the Energy Theatre on the exhibition floor, and delivering a conference session on the event’s second day.
NHS ‘at the forefront’
Clive Nattrass, the CEF’s CEO, said: “Yet again the NHS is at the forefront of energy conservation through its innovative CEF programme and DH energy grants. We are hoping to have a wider range of projects ready when the framework is in place in July this year.” At Healthcare Estates 2013, which is being held at Manchester Central from 8-9 October, CEF will have an energy stand, and will be presenting a ‘bidders teach-in’, plus several sessions aimed at NHS staff. Free-to-attend, the teach-in will take place in the Energy Theatre at 9.00 am on 8 October. Other established bidders and major organisations have booked presentation slots in the CEF energy theatre. These include Cynergin, Dalkia, EON, British Gas, Spirax Sarco, GE Corporate, Mitsubishi, and Trend Controls. The Carbon and Energy Fund’s main conference sessions will be announced in June, and will take place as part of the IHEEM conference programme on 9 October.
Focus on ‘Engineering’
The organisers are also focusing a two-day conference stream on ‘Engineering’. A new partner this year is the Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES). “Healthcare has long represented a key business opportunity for B&ES members, both in terms of one-off installation projects, and ongoing service and maintenance contracts,” said Blane Judd, B&ES Chief Executive. B&ES will provide the content for the conference’s engineering session on 9 October, from 11.00 am until 12.30 pm. The session is likely to revolve around the integration of the design, installation, and control, of engineering services in buildings, with special reference to the incorporation of renewable technologies.
Architects for Health
Steve Webb said: “Another key supporting organisation this year is Architects for Health (AfH). Heavily involved in previous years, AfH delivered some of the best attended sessions in 2012. In 2013 AfH will provide content in the day one Design & Construction stream, with details again set to be announced in June. John Cooper, AfH’s chair, said: “Architects for Health are once more organising an informative and thoughtprovoking programme at the IHEEM annual event, presented by first-rate speakers, who will challenge from expert positions some of the assumptions which have become regarded as fixed truths in healthcare design. We will also be exhibiting the best of our members’ work on our stand, and organising a roundtable to discuss the issues of the day.”
Awards to be presented
AfH will also present their awards from their stand, located alongside the Contractors & Architects Theatre in the exhibition hall, from 5-6 pm. Steve Webb added: “We are grateful to the organisations who have pledged their support for this year’s Healthcare Estates event to date. We are also working with other leading organisations and membership groups who will be announcing their content over coming months. BRE, the leading research and organisation, will be supporting the conference and exhibition, examining potential topics including Building Information Management systems, the quality of indoor environments in hospitals and care homes, and ‘efficient lighting that meets patient and staff needs’.”
Mitigating fire risk
BRE will also look at mitigating fire risk, following a letter sent out on 31 January this year by David Flory, Deputy Chief Executive at the Department of Health, to NHS Trust CEOs. Steve Webb said: “The letter highlighted ‘the apparent mismanagement and lack of governance of fire safety issues giving rise to overall concerns about patient safety’. The advice was that immediate steps should be taken to review fire safety across the NHS, to ensure that the relevant duties are being met, and that patient safety is not being compromised.” BRE and NAHFO will deliver a session on fire safety, and what Trusts need to do to be compliant with the letter, while NAHFO will provide a free-to-attend ‘Fringe’ session on day two, including a ‘fire themed’ workshop, running from 11.15 am-12.30 pm, with CPD points awarded to attendees, who will then be free to visit the exhibition in the afternoon.
Interactive sessions
To open the conference, the organisers are proposing a series of interactive sessions, with a ‘question time’ approach. Steve Webb said: “Step Exhibitions and IHEEM are approaching a number of key names to set out the strategic agenda for healthcare.” Visitor and delegate registrations for Healthcare Estates 2013 are now open. Conference delegates booking before 22 June will receive a significant reduction in delegate rates, with further benefits for IHEEM members, and those working directly within the NHS and private hospitals. Steve Webb said: “The rates for a two-day IHEEM member have been reduced by 33%, allowing some delegates to book the two-day conference for just £200 with the ‘super early bird’. Even non- IHEEM members will save more than £130 on the 2012 two-day rate.
‘VIP’ dedicated area
“With the conference theme of ‘Putting positive energy into healthcare’, the VIP area will offer a dedicated zone for our VIP visitors to re-charge their body batteries,” Steve Webb explained. “We also hope to have ‘live’ data fed into the area from the Carbon Energy Fund. The area will be available to workers from the NHS, private hospitals, and related sectors, members of Architects for Health, and other qualifying visitors. We are also looking at a couple of ideas with companies to provide positive energy into the VIP zone, and will announce more details next month.”
The exhibition
The exhibition floor will also have four dedicated theatres, each offering two full days of presentations by key companies and supporting organisations. The four theatres this year are:
• The HEJ Product Theatre.
• The NHS Sustainability Theatre.
• The Contractor & Architects Theatre.
• The Energy Showcase Theatre.
For the current programme, and to register for the conference or exhibition, visit www.healthcare-estates.com or telephone: 01892 518877. For conference details and delegate rates, email: michellemichelucci@stepex.com
