Countdown begins as keynote speaker revealed

‘A simple aspiration’

As David Flory himself explained last year in the foreword to the document, Introducing the NHS Trust Development Authority, ‘the NHS TDA’s aspiration is a simple one: to ensure there are sustainable, high quality services in every part of the NHS’. He added: “For most NHS Trusts, achieving this will mean they can push forward and become NHS Foundation Trusts – in the process meeting the Government’s stated objective of ensuring all NHS providers reach FT status. For others – a minority – more radical support will be needed, and we will need to work hard to create the right environment to inspire creative and new models of delivery that have the support of the local communities.” David Flory joined the Department of Health in 2007 as director-general for NHS Finance, Performance and Operations, having previously spent time with the DH as interim director of Financial Recovery. He has over 20 years’ board-level experience in NHS bodies in the North East of England in director of Finance and Chief Executive roles. Other key conference speakers confirmed to date include Dr R Chandrashekhar, Chief Architect at India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (HEJ – April 2013); IHEEM President, Greg Markham; chair of Architects for Health, John Cooper, and Carbon and Energy Fund CEO, Clive Nattrass.

Record number of conference submissions

IHEEM, working with the organisers, Step Exhibitions, saw a record number of conference paper submissions this year with over 50 papers submitted. Steve Webb, director at Step Exhibitions, said: “The event’s theme this year is ‘Putting positive energy into healthcare’, reflecting the key issues of cost savings, sustainability, and the sector’s changing nature. We have approached a number of the leading names to speak at Healthcare Estates 2013 (taking place at Manchester Central from 8-9 October, 2013), and will be confirming these in the next few weeks.” Organisations that have already agreed to provide speakers within the conference programme, which will be split into key areas focused on Engineering, Energy, Design & Construction, Property & Premises Management, Estates & Facilities, Infection Prevention, and Research & Development, include: Amtech Group, Gelder Kitchen LLP, IBI Group, Spirax Sarco, CORGI, EP&T Global, GI Energy, ENER-G Combined Power Limited, Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University, ProCure21+, HIS, Pall Europe, Children’s University Hospital Dublin, Eastwood Park, Liverpool John Moores University Arts & Design, CPA Total Engineered Solutions, Trend Controls, Low Carbon Europe, DPS Global, The BIRCH Foundation and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, DAC Beachcroft LLP, Power Electrics Generators, Arup, Low Carbon Europe, British Gas, DPS Global, and Capita Symonds.

‘Super early bird rates’

Bookings are now being taken for the conference, exhibition, and dinner, with ‘super early bird’ rates available until mid- June, and specially discounted rates through to September. Readers of HEJ, previous visitors and delegates, and IHEEM members, can book at a special rate up until 22 June, with savings of up to 60% on last year’s two-day rate available. Steve Webb said: “With the lowest rate just £200 for a full two-day conference pass, including food and drink, the conference offers great value-for-money – and indeed we are already ahead of last year in terms of delegate bookings.” One of the organisations participating in the conference for the first time in 2013 is the Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES). A 90-minute panel session chaired by the Association’s head of sustainability, David Frise, ‘Why do so many buildings disappoint their owners and occupiers?’, will consider ‘why many healthcare facilities fail to reach their operational potential, and, are thus not fit-for-purpose’. The session will examine why many new and emerging technologies ‘fail to produce the low energy and reduced carbon performance expected from buildings’. The aim, subsequently, is to produce ‘a blueprint for progress’, for further joint development by IHEEM and B&ES after the event.

Mitigating fire risk

The BRE, the independent, research-based consultancy and certification organisation for the built environment, will focus, in one of its conference presentations, on ‘mitigating fire risk’, with a joint session run with the National Association of Healthcare Fire Officers (NAHFO). BRE will also deliver joint sessions with DAC Beachcroft on the theme of ‘Improving Quality, Reducing Costs’; with Arup, examining ‘Smarter Estates’; with The BIRCH Foundation and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, examining ‘The Salford Model for Productive FM’, and with a cospeaker to be confirmed, on ‘Efficient lighting – meeting patient and staff needs’. In addition to the main conference sessions, NAHFO will also provide a ‘fringe’ session, running from 11.15-12.30 on day two, incorporating a free-to-attend ‘fire-themed’ workshop. Attendees will receive CPD points, and will then be free to visit the exhibition in the afternoon. Peter Aldridge, NAHFO secretary, and fire safety manager at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “NAHFO has great pleasure in taking part in the 2013 event, building on the Association’s first successful attendance in Manchester in 2012. The focus on fire safety within healthcare has been increased this year, with the ‘Dear colleague’ letter issued by the Department of Health on 31 January reminding senior Trust personnel and Boards of their responsibilities under fire safety legislation. Add to this the very restricted budgets in the public sector, and fire safety compliance is certainly very challenging currently. We very much welcome the opportunity to share information and guidance on means to compliance with colleagues from across the sector.”

This year’s exhibition

This year the exhibition floor will feature four dedicated theatres, each offering two full days of presentations by key supporting organisations. The four theatres are:

•  The HEJ Product Theatre.
•  The NHS Sustainability Theatre.
•  The Contractor & Architects Theatre.
•  The Energy Showcase Theatre.

For the current programme, to register for the conference or exhibition, and for exhibitor rates, T: 01892 518877 or visit www.healthcare-estates.com For conference details and delegate rates, email Michelle Michelucci at: michellemichelucci@stepex.com