With this year’s Healthcare Estates conference and exhibition in Harrogate now under six months away, the organisers say the event is all set to be the biggest staged to date, with the wide-ranging conference programme set to tackle many of the everyday operational issues, as well as the wider strategic topics, exercising the minds of health estates professionals up and down the land.
Exhibitor-wise, over 65% of the available stand space at the exhibition is already sold, with over 90 companies signed up to showcase products, services, expertise and specialist knowledge when the two-day show opens at the Harrogate International Centre on 27 October. The organisers said: “Both parts of the event, which is well-known in the healthcare estates world as the year’s focal point for networking and the chance to hear all about the latest products, systems and services, and renowned for the high quality and scope of the conference presentations, have grown spectacularly in recent years. Last year’s Healthcare Estates attracted the largest attendance in the event’s history, confirming it as the leading national event for estate planning, facilities management and healthcare engineering professionals.” The conference programme will, the organisers promise, address many of the key issues directly affecting the day-to-day roles and responsibilities of all in the healthcare estates and facilities field. While the programme is yet to be finalised, it is anticipated that the papers this year will include presentations addressing topics including patient safety (including fire safety), security and decontamination, the “quality” of the physical environment, energy and sustainability, design and construction (including a look at some of the latest PFI, ProCure21 and PCT community hospital schemes), finance and performance management, estate management and, at a time when many estates managers report significant difficulty in recruiting well-qualified staff, workforce management and development. The presentations are sure to provoke lively discussion and debate. The organisers add: “The scope and volume of content delivered will again demand that the programme is streamed, allowing delegates to tailor their attendance to suit their own requirements and interests. The overall standard of the papers received by the conference committee this year has been very high, providing a stimulating challenge as the committee members start to put together another relevant, innovative and informative conference programme.” The full programme is due to be published in the next few weeks. The organisers added: “With Healthcare Estates the UK’s leading specialist event for estate and facilities managers and engineers working in the healthcare sector, the exhibition in Harrogate is a prime opportunity for exhibitors to meet with key professionals involved in healthcare estates and facilities management. It is the biggest annual showcase for products and services related to facilities management and the environment for care.”
