CHES/IFHE event in Canada

He says that the Canadian organisation hosted the international delegates for the conference period, and although much of the time was taken up with IFHE matters there were still opportunities to attend a number of events in the Canadian annual meeting (some of them light-hearted – see picture). The conference examined subjects including greener, safer healthcare; taking the risk out of healthcare construction; the world of renewable energies; a case study of a major hospital flood; enabling hospitals for the wireless revolution; and managing risk with medical gases.

Andy Wavell comments: “IFHE delegates gathered for the Annual Council Meeting, and I attended as the IFHE/Touch liaison representative dealing with the Annual Report – Health Engineering and Facilities Management. This publication is sent out to some 12,000 members worldwide and discussion on this was a small part of the agenda with membership, administration, finance, WHO, international conferences, statute and standing orders, and reports from members and regional groups being included.

“A report was received from the Vice President on the next international conference, to be held in Barcelona from 19 to 23 October 2008. This has all the hallmarks of being an impressive event with an excellent accompanying persons programme. The call for papers was emphasised and I would urge IHEEM members to consider submitting a paper. In addition we were given advance information for the following international conference which is to be held in Japan in 2010.”

r The publication of two articles featured in this issue of Health Estate Journal has been facilitated through the International Federation of Hospital Engineering (IFHE) – see pages 25 and 29.