With time an increasingly precious commodity in today’s frenetic business world, the organisers of this year’s Healthcare Estates Conference and Exhibition promise that visiting the event will be an investment worth making; indeed one that will be “repaid many times over in subsequent time and costs saved”.
Alongside the timeless task of creating comfortable, effective environments for treating and caring for patients, there are new pressures and additional targets for infection control, safety, energy efficiency and sustainability, which all have to be met. To be held from 14-15 October at the Harrogate International Centre, Healthcare Estates 2008 will combine the IHEEM Annual Conference with the UK’s largest exhibition showcasing products, services and solutions specifically designed to address the needs of healthcare environments.
The conference
The theme for this year’s IHEEM conference is “Clean, safe and sustainable environments for care”. To be opened by Rob Smith, in his first term as IHEEM president, the multi-streamed event will tackle the key issues affecting those responsible for creating and managing environments for care, including:
· Design and construction.
· Healthcare planning.
· Sustainability.
· Infection Control / safe environment.
· Energy.
· Fire and safety.
The streamed approach should ensure that delegates have greater access to content directly related to their responsibilities, coupled to the ability to tailor their attendance to suit their own particular priorities and needs.
This year’s Late Debate will comprise a timely discussion into the merits of singlebedded versus multiple-bedded wards.
Delegates will have ample opportunity to get actively involved and share their thoughts, opinions and experiences in what promises to be a lively and interesting close to the first day. Early registration for this year’s IHEEM conference is advisable. IHEEM and AIME members benefit from a reduced registration fee, with graduate and retired members receiving additional subsidies.
To view the latest conference programme and register, visit www.iheem.org.uk
The exhibition
Free-to-attend, the Healthcare Estates exhibition will provide a distillation of the latest products, services and solutions developed to address the unique challenges involved in the creation and maintenance of effective healthcare environments.
With over 130 leading suppliers showcasing products and services, organisers promise the exhibition will be “not a dry exercise”…but instead “an interactive learning experience”, where delegates can:
· Network and learn from colleagues and suppliers.
· Listen to others’ new approaches and experiences.
· See the latest products and solutions.
· Discuss solutions with industry experts.
· Witness new ideas and innovations.
Sustainability advice on offer
Sustainability is one of the big policy issues of the moment. Accordingly the exhibition team has teamed up with bodies including BRE, RIBA, The Carbon Trust, the Department of Health’s Health Estates Division, and PASA, to create an area dedicated to sustainability and environmental issues specifically related to healthcare. Here visitors will be able to obtain free advice and information and access a professional forum “they will not find elsewhere”.
Healthcare ‘showcases’ for face-to-face contact
These presentations by exhibitors have proved extremely popular. Again free-toattend, they provide a chance to learn about new products, services and practices in greater depth, and discuss technical issues direct with suppliers on specific functions and applications.
To date 16 companies have confirmed their participation. To view the current list of speakers and presentations, and to reserve a seat, visit www.healthcare-estates.com
