If you have not been to Healthcare Estates recently, or indeed ever, you may not realise what you have been missing. The event has grown substantially over recent years, and is now the largest dedicated event focused on health estates and facilities management in Europe.
This year’s multi-streamed conference (see HEJ – September 2010 for the full programme) will offer more information, opportunities, and ideas, than ever, while the 2010 exhibition, now featuring over 190 exhibitors, will give visitors access to a very wide range of products, services, and solutions, designed specifically to enhance the efficient operation and maintenance of healthcare buildings across the UK.
The IHEEM Annual Conference
This year’s opening plenary keynote address, to be delivered by David Flory CBE, who has recently been appointed deputy NHS chief executive, is entitled “The Future Direction of Healthcare”. His presentation will give delegates a unique opportunity to hear about the key thinking and strategies that will direct plans for healthcare provision, and, in turn, healthcare facilities, over coming years. There is no question that, with increasing patient power, the predicted shift of some services from acute to primary care, almost unprecedented short-to-medium term budgetary constraints, and an ageing European population, we are entering a new era for healthcare. The approach to, and objectives of, this Government on healthcare provision will mean many new challenges for estates and facilities personnel. In the recent White Paper, “Liberating the NHS”, a compelling vision for the NHS in England is set out. “Efficiency savings will be a key part of this vision,” says Paul Kingsmore, IHEEM President, who is set to open this year’s event. “As estates and facilities professionals, we will have a role to play in achieving these savings. There will be a strong drive to shift resources from administration to frontline care. The important contribution that EFM personnel make in ensuring patients are looked after in a first-class treatment environment is increasingly being recognised, but it is important for us to ensure that all our efforts are directed towards this goal, and, equally, that they are properly recognised. “The devolved administrations will differ in aspects of policy and delivery. However the drive for efficiency, and the delivery of quality healthcare, will remain a common goal. “Leadership within the NHS will be important to ensure change is effective. This year’s IHEEM conference will focus on a range of initiatives which can help us think differently, and bring forward new ideas, looking across boundaries and seeking opportunities, while at the same time working strongly within the values of the NHS.”
‘A changing climate’
The climate in which estates and facilities managers operate is changing fast. Efficiency, productivity, and the ability to get more out of current hospital and other healthcare facilities, and to focus ever harder on their design to ensure that they meet both current needs, and predicted future trends, will become even more important. Very much in this vein, the not-to-bemissed second day keynote presentation, “The Economic Benefits of Designing Optimal Physical Environments”, from Blair Sadler, senior fellow at America’s Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and a member of the faculty at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the same city’s Rady School of Management, will see the speaker discuss his work with the Board of the Center for Health Design on “developing the business case for building better hospitals through evidence-based design”.
Seven key themes
With this year’s move to Manchester, the IHEEM Annual Conference has been expanded, giving delegates access to more information than ever before. Seven conference themes – Patient Safety; Design & Construction; Estate Management; Energy & Sustainability; Facilities Management; Risk Management, and “Developing the Lean Estate”, will allow delegates to tailor their conference attendance to suit individual needs. The expansion of the conference programme reflects the changing role of estates and facilities teams, and the responsibility for a growing number of services such personnel are likely to face as demand for efficiencies ramps up. Against such a backdrop, it is more important than ever that estates and facilities management professionals keep up to date with the latest information, tools, techniques, products, and solutions. To ensure delegates and attendees have access to the latest information, IHEEM has invited representatives from other influential organisations in the sector to be part of the event. These include IOSH, the AHCP, Architects for Health, HFC, Focused FM, BRE, and others. Many of these organisations are providing speakers, and all are represented within the exhibition. The
Healthcare Estates Exhibition
Whatever your involvement in creating, managing, and maintaining healthcare facilities and environments for patient care, investing the time to visit the Healthcare Estates exhibition will be of direct benefit to you and your team. At the exhibition delegates will be able to see the very latest in products, services, and solutions which can improve efficiency, reduce infection, save energy, reduce carbon emissions, enhance staff working conditions, and improve the patient experience. Whether you are involved in the planning and design of regional healthcare; challenged with managing the estate or facility as an employee or contractor, or are a member of the frontline team delivering care, taking a day to visit the exhibition will prove an excellent use of your time; moreover, entry to this year’s exhibition is free.
Make the time and benefit
Attending Healthcare Estates will pay dividends, as the views and experiences of the following past attendees make clear:
“As an engineer who works within specialist estates disciplines providing advice and technical guidance covering all acute hospitals within NHS Wales, the annual IHEEM conference at Healthcare Estates offers me the chance to reflect on the past, present, and future of healthcare estates. The conference programme is an opportunity to learn from a wide variety of speakers, whose experience is second to none. The new, expanded exhibition will provide an insight into current and future developments in all aspects of the estate. It is my intention to gain useful knowledge from others with many years’ experience in the EFM field at the conference and exhibition, and to use this knowledge to improve current ways of working within my team, so that we can provide an enhanced service in the future. “The current financial climate will dictate that we have to improvise. The conference will provide an ideal theatre for debate, and a forum to share knowledge between public and private sector. Healthcare Estates can help all of us develop for future issues. Let’s learn together.” John Prendergast MIHEEM, Welsh Health Estates
“The IHEEM Annual Conference at Healthcare Estates is a unique opportunity in the healthcare calendar. It is an event that is specially put together by IHEEM members, and is tailored to the needs of the health estates professional. There is no other event that keeps estates providers and professionals so up-to-date and informed. The topics addressed give a health estates perspective to current topics, and the exhibition access to the leading providers of products, services, and solutions.” Nigel Keery, head of estates operations, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
“As a practising Chartered healthcare engineer, I find the Healthcare Estates Conference an invaluable single source of inspiration. In these financially challenging times, the conference fees should be viewed as an investment which will return dividends in understanding new practices, techniques, and technologies, which can deliver savings and efficiencies in the workplace.” Greg Markham CEng FIHEEM
“I have been operating freelance and selfemployed for about 12 years, following a career in the NHS. I find that a concentrated two days of absorbing the latest developments, together with the associated networking, are an extremely effective way to achieve all I need to ensure my business thrives.” Bob Simpson CEng FIHEEM
