Just five months away from the start of this year’s Healthcare Estates Conference and Exhibition, being held from 14-15 October at the Harrogate International Centre, IHEEM says a record number of high quality conference papers have been submitted, while the accompanying exhibition looks all set to be a sell-out.
Submission standard ‘very high’ Commenting on the submissions received so far, Nicola Oliver, IHEEM’s event manager, said: “We have had an extremely encouraging response to this year’s call for papers, with the abstracts covering a multitude of topics, from design and construction through to fire and safety. The overall standard was very high, providing a challenge to the conference committee as they finalised this year’s programme. The conference promises to be relevant, innovative and informative.”
Newly appointed IHEEM president and director of the Department of Health’s Gateway Reviews and Estates and Facilities Division Rob Smith (see also p5) will open the conference proceedings on 14 October. Potential attendees wanting to be among the first to view the conference content should visit the Healthcare Estates website, www.healthcareestates.
com To book a delegate place and obtain an early booking discount, visit www.iheem.org.uk or, to find out more, contact Nicola Oliver, on 023 9282 3186. Exhibitors, meanwhile, have a prime opportunity to meet key healthcare estates and facilities management professionals at the UK’s biggest annual showcase for products and services aimed at the sector. This year around 150 companies are expected to display products and services. Exhibiting opportunities are now limited. Call Colin Williams or Guy Whiffen on 01892 518877 or visit the event website to find out more.
Sustainability spotlighted Sustainability issues have added a new dimension within the decision-making process for all those responsible for creating and maintaining clean, safe, secure care environments. Due to the fast rate of change within products and solutions, and changes to Government legislation and guidelines, estates and facilities managers, and their teams, need to keep up-to-date with the latest developments on the sustainability front. By visiting the Sustainability Centre attendees will be able to access industry experts, all able to provide the latest information and advice on products, services, best practice, and potential solutions. On hand in Hall C will be experts from PASA, RIBA, The Carbon Trust, BRE, and the Department of Health’s Estates and Facilities Division. Simulation rooms – be part of the Debate
The discussion over single versus multiple occupancy wards has caused heated debate for many years, whether related to the issues of patient dignity and privacy, recovery times, staffing levels, infection prevention and control, design, capacity and, especially, cost.
New within this year’s exhibition will be a series of “simulation rooms” showcasing both the single-bedded and multi-bed ward approaches, while the conference’s ‘Late Debate’ (on 14 October) will give delegates the chance to listen to, and consider, each side’s argument, enter the discussion, and think about how each solution can be translated into practice.
Simulation rooms featuring one- and four-bedroom wards will demonstrate how these designs could be constructed, and showcase the latest products from over 50 top suppliers in a “real life” setting. Richard Mazuch, a leading healthcare architect at Nightingale Associates, will champion the four-bedded bay case, while Phil Nedin, IHEEM past president and director at Arup, will argue for the single-bed solution.
Supporting bodies key Alongside the IHEEM-organised conference programme, a number of organisations are contributing significantly to the 2008 event via co-located events and related activities.
These include the Medical Gas Association, PASA, RIBA, the Building Research Establishment (BRE), The Carbon Trust, and the Department of Health’s Estates and Facilities Division.
