Examining the global challenges ahead

The seminar, entitled ‘Healthcare Estates 2020’, was held at the Institution of Civil Engineers just off Parliament Square, and was followed by a celebratory lunch in an impressive riverside setting at the Houses of Parliament. HEJ editor, Jonathan Baillie, reports.

 Attended by senior IHEEM personnel, IHEEM members, IHEEM Company Affiliates, and senior staff from the architectural and construction supply chains, the seminar began with a short welcome from the Institute’s executive, Julian Amey. During the event’s planning he said he had reflected that ‘back in 1943, when our founding fathers set up the Institute, Britain was in the throes of the Second World War’. He said: “Here in this building we would have heard bombs falling, and all along the river there would have been power stations belching out carbon, while London’s hospitals would have been stretched to the limit. “Scroll forward, and we’re now in the 21st century, with similar big challenges facing the healthcare sector. Just two days ago, Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, and we see the extraordinary devastation that natural disasters cause worldwide. At the frontline,” he continued, “is the healthcare sector, and while in the UK the situation is slightly less dramatic, we are nevertheless all reminded constantly of the challenges 21st-century healthcare staff face. The good news, however, is that we have an expert panel here today who will discuss some of the solutions.”

Setting the scene