Review of IHEEM’s Terms of Reference explained

A one-day IHEEM online event on 9 June sought to underline the important role that Authorising Engineers (AEs) play in the safe, efficient, and compliant running of healthcare facilities’ water, electrical, medical gas, ventilation, decontamination, and fire safety systems. As HEJ’s editor, Jonathan Baillie, reports, in the day’s first session, the Institute’s President, Paul Fenton, discussed a recent review of the Terms of Reference for both IHEEM’s Technical Platforms and its AE Boards of Registration, and the rationale behind it.

The day began with a short introduction from IHEEM’s CEO, Pete Sellars, who reminded the audience that this was a fully accredited CPD event, and that all the day’s presentations were being recorded, and would thus be viewable on IHEEM’s YouTube channel (at https://tinyurl.com/cj6ush6a) post-event.

Pete Sellars explained that the first of three speakers in the session would be IHEEM President, Paul Fenton, Director of Estates and Facilities at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, who had chaired the IHEEM Working Group that developed the new Terms of Reference for the Institute’s Technical Platforms and its AE Boards of Registration, and would explain how the work was undertaken. Next, David Harper, an IHEEM-registered AE (Water) and internationally renowned water safety expert, would give his perspective on the importance of water safety in healthcare. Then, Maz Daoud, Chair of the IHEEM Fire Safety Technical Platform, and recently appointed as NHS England and NHS Improvement’s Fire Officer, would explain how IHEEM could help Instituteregistered AEs develop and enhance their professional careers within the healthcare sector, and discuss IHEEM’s ongoing work to create a register for fire risk assessors.