Sustainability, and how the NHS as a whole can take effective action to make its operations “greener”, will be strongly in focus at this year’s Healthcare Estates conference in Manchester, with BRE, the expert research-based consultancy, testing and training organisation which addresses all aspects of the built environment, set to lead a plenary session and a stream dedicated to this key area.
The conference’s organisers say: “With change being the only constant in the health sector, the NHS faces a range of challenges which will influence the shape and delivery of healthcare over the next 25 years. External factors such as climate change, and the changing demographic, will place enormous pressures on the NHS and social care mechanism to ensure that healthcare is delivered in the most suitable, cost-effective way, as will the need to make our healthcare estate greener and lower carbon.” The BRE plenary session on 1 November, the first day of the two-day IHEEM event, will (as detailed in the May, June, and August 2011 issues of Health Estate Journal), see the launch of the “NHS Plan A Sustainability Portal”. The collaboration between the University College London Hospitals (UCLH) NHS Foundation Trust and BRE will harness the two organisations’ skills, knowledge, and expertise in implementing effective sustainability strategies to deliver a “package” to help NHS Trusts “save money, invest wisely in new technologies, and achieve measureable benefits”, via effective carbon reduction initiatives.
Learning from others’ experiences
The plenary session will be led by Trevor Payne, the UCLH NHS Foundation Trust’s director of estates and facilities management. The Portal will, UCLH and BRE explain, “be accessible by all” to enable, for instance, estates and facilities teams to benefit from lessons learned across the service, identify suitable processes and training, and “obtain evidence-based advice on what to do, and when to do it”. During the plenary, Niall Trafford, who is COO of BRE, and former head of Sustainable Store Delivery at Marks and Spencer, will outline “the importance of strong leadership and vision when looking to become a green or sustainable organisation”, while a panel discussion chaired by BRE strategic research director, Peter Ball, will see an expert panel quizzed on all aspects of sustainability; “delivering a green strategy”; “why such a strategy is important”, and how the NHS, NHS suppliers, and service users, will benefit. The audience will be invited to post questions both prior to, and during, the session. The BRE’s subsequent day-one stream (Stream D) will comprise two sessions: r “Implementing Innovation: from demonstration to reality” – Michael Clarke, health manager, Willmott Dixon. r “How BREEAM 2011 can help you deliver better, more sustainable healthcare buildings; on both new and refurbishment projects” – BRE Global speakers, including the authors of BREEAM. To download the full conference programme and book a conference place, visit: www.healthcare-estates.org.uk. Discounted rates apply for IHEEM members, while the “conference-plus” price gives a discounted price for the IHEEM Annual Awards and dinner (see panel below) on the evening of 1 November at the Manchester Hilton.
‘Record-breaking start’ for registrations
Healthcare Estates is widely regarded as the leading UK event for healthcare engineering and estate management personnel, and, the organiser of this year’s exhibition, Step Exhibitions, reports, interest has again been extremely high in the run-up to the show’s opening. Exhibition director, Steve Webb, says: “Pre-registered visitor numbers for the exhibition and conference have surged ahead of last year, setting a new record high. The level of interest for this year’s event, which takes place at Manchester Central from 1-2 November, shows Healthcare Estates continues to be the biggest networking event for personnel involved in this dynamic sector, the activities of which are critical to the smooth running of healthcare facilities across the UK.” He adds: “NHS spending now stands at over £100 billion a year. Although the Coalition Government’s pledge to protect the health budget meant it fared well compared with other public sector departments in the Spending Review, expenditure will be flat in real terms in the years up to 2015. To meet rising demand for services, the NHS is tasked with finding £20 billion in productivity improvements by 2015. Estates and facilities teams are being expected to contribute significantly to such savings, while keeping healthcare facilities running to a high standard, with a clean, safe, and comfortable environment for both patients and staff. “Featuring over 150 suppliers, the Healthcare Estates exhibition is a unique mix of the latest products, services, and solutions, developed to address the unique challenges EFM teams face day-by-day.”
Complimentary invitations sent
In the run-up to the exhibition, over 170,000 complimentary invitations are being distributed via magazine inserts, direct mail, and bespoke invitations from leading exhibitors. Among the latest organisations to sign up as exhibitors are: Chemwatch, Vistamatic, Philips Lighting, JLA, LEDinLight, DiscreteHeat Company, Reactec, Clockwork IT, Toprail Systems, ARUP, The Stock Shop, Elan Sales, Mintie Inc., Lincoln Security, Mouchel Management Consulting, Multipanel UK, Evolution Washroom Services, and Nightingale Associates. Steve Webb adds: “Healthcare Estates is backed by leading estates-related, construction, and architectural magazines, with this year’s event set to be promoted to over 100,000 professionals in the sector. “Registration for the exhibition is free, and, once registered, individuals will receive details of the latest exhibitors; invitations to the “free” showcases taking place on the exhibition floor; information on advice clinics to be run by IOSH, BRE, the Healthcare Facilities Consortium, and Community Healthcare Partnerships, and details of the New Product and Services showcases – the latest innovations from the leading companies in the sector.” To register for the exhibition, visit: www.healthcare-estates.com
