How the Coalition Government’s proposed healthcare reforms will impact on the future estate, ways in which estates and facilities teams can run healthcare facilities even more efficiently.
While under unprecedented financial constraints, and the growing pressure that the NHS carbon reduction agenda places on all to reduce energy consumption, cut waste, and run buildings more efficiently and cost-effectively, will be among the themes explored during next month’s Healthcare Estates conference and exhibition in Manchester.
The healthcare sector is currently dominated by the evolution of the proposed far-reaching reforms of the Coalition Government – set against the backdrop of painfully tight public sector finances and a staggering general economy. These are no ordinary times, and, for estates and facilities directors, architects, consulting engineers, construction companies, product suppliers, and the rest of the supply chain working in healthcare estates, the key question is: how will this changing landscape impact on healthcare commissioners and providers, future estates and facilities investment, and service delivery? Next month’s Healthcare Estates conference at Manchester Central will see these and other issues fully explored.
An overarching view
The conference will open with an overarching view of the Government’s vision for healthcare, construction, and the environment – seen through the eyes of speakers including NHS Confederation deputy director of policy, Jo Webber, and NHS Sustainable Development Unit director, David Pencheon – setting the context for the broad Healthcare Estates audience for the rest of the sessions’ content. The key issue of the carbon agenda will be developed in the first day’s second plenary session, where BRE’s Niall Trafford will speak on the importance of leadership in delivering sustainability, before BRE’s Peter Ball, and Trevor Payne, director of estates and facilities management at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, launch the NHS Sustainability Portal. After break-out stream sessions either side of lunch, the full conference will come together again for a panel discussion at the end of the first day, exploring the future of estates in a dramatically changing NHS.
Profound commissioning changes
With the profound changes to the commissioning of services in the NHS comes the rise of clinical commissioning groups dominated by GPs, and a new focus on clinically-led integration to develop new care pathways. The demise of primary care Trusts will see their ownership of NHS estate pass over to providers – predominantly acute and mental health Trusts – which have already engaged in vertical integration by subsuming some PCT provider organisations, and which will evolve their overall service provision and facilities requirements. There are important questions about how the providers will, on the one hand, look after bigger and more complex estates and facilities assets, and, on the other, how they will drive efficiencies and savings through those assets in line with reconfigured services delivering better outcomes to patients. A panel including Department of Health Estates and Facilities Director, Rob Smith, and Community Health Partnerships Chief Strategy Officer, Caroline Rassell, will be trying to find answers. The second day of the conference will open with respected academic and former acute Trust chair, Professor Alan Maynard, contextualising healthcare reforms and trying to make sense of their impact on the future of the NHS. This will be followed by a Question Time session featuring participants including head of ProCure21+, Peter Sellars, and North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust director of operations, Kevin Oxley, offering practical advice to delegates on how estates can be an enabling force in the reforms.
PFI focus
The penultimate plenary session will build on Treasury projects identifying how to drive efficiencies from operational PFI projects, and will feature Jackie Doyle, director of estates PFI at pilot site for the research, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust. The conference will end with opinion and attitude aplenty, in a presentation from NHS writer, broadcaster, commentator, and agitator, Roy Lilley. Over the course of the two days the break-out stream sessions either side of lunch will be providing numerous case studies featuring the NHS, and its jointworking with industry, to add breadth and depth to the conference content across: r Quality improvements through productivity. r Achieving performance through innovation. r Best practice. r BRE. r Architects for Health
Networking opportunities
The evening of the first day will feature the Conference Dinner and IHEEM Awards, providing an excellent opportunity for delegates, exhibitors, and exhibition attendees to network, and to recognise the winners of IHEEM’s respected annual awards. Conference tickets and places or tables for the conference dinner – held nearby at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate – can be bought at www.healthcare-estates.org.uk
Exhibition will showcase the latest developments
Complementing this year’s conference, the Healthcare Estates 2011 exhibition will bring together suppliers and customers in the year’s largest gathering for the healthcare estates and facilities sector. Exhibition director Steve Webb says: “With 150+ exhibitors and key organisations providing quality presentations to visitors within the exhibition area, one day at the event could help you and your work colleagues in many ways. “Over two days, Manchester Central (formerly GMEX), will bring together the sector’s key players under one roof, giving potential customers for a wide range of products, equipment, and machinery, an excellent opportunity to compare the offerings of many different suppliers, before making a purchasing decision and committing their money. “Healthcare reforms have heaped huge pressure on estates departments within the NHS and the wider healthcare sphere. The result is that many EFM teams are struggling to see how they will cope with budget cuts, and indeed make the savings expected of them, while at the same time delivering a high quality environment and continuity of service to ensure that patient welfare is maintained, and that the standards expected by patients, the Government, and the regulators, are met.
Chance to compare, touch, and feel, a wide range of products
“With a large number of key suppliers and organisations in the same location, potential purchasers can compare every aspect of the products and services available. By meeting with, and questioning, suppliers face-to-face, as well as experiencing the features, ‘feel’, and design, of a wide range of items, those considering buying new products and equipment have the best possible opportunity to make an informed and sensible long-term choice.” With the whole industry together, Healthcare Estates is also the perfect place to network. Steve Webb adds: “Meeting people in an environment of common interest is the most powerful way to forge relationships that can ultimately lead to business, improved knowledge, and even a new career. Best of all, the chance to be at the heart of their sector for a day gives delegates a huge advantage in understanding changes and their potential impact, seeing what is new on the market, and hearing others’ viewpoints, all within an arena where a wealth of useful, stimulating, and interesting information is at their fingertips.” Healthcare Estates visitors will also, Steve Webb emphasises, “be able to discuss the hottest topics of the moment, and learn more about the latest thinking on, and systems for, tackling some of the challenging issues they encounter in their job. He adds: “Many companies invest in training on a regular basis, but there is nothing better than learning from experts and highly experienced speakers, which is something that attending an event such as Healthcare Estates offers a great opportunity to do.”
An accessible location
Healthcare Estates is open from 8.30 am each day. The organisers add: “Manchester is one of the most accessible places from most parts of the UK, and a very easy city to travel around. Booking your train ticket today could save you a lot of money, and, once in Manchester, the conference and exhibition are just a short walk from Piccadilly station, and surrounded by hotels and facilities to make your visit worthwhile. Steve Webb explained: “Exhibition entry is complimentary, and registration couldn’t be simpler, either online (at www.healthcare-estates.com), or by simply arriving at the event and registering for free. “The exhibition is attended by many professionals from across the sector; management personnel from the Department of Health, NHS estates, facilities, sustainability, and procurement professionals, and managers and buyers from private hospitals, nursing, and care homes. Attendees will also be mixing with visitors and exhibitors from NHS Trusts, the primary care sector, ambulance Trusts, mental health Trusts, and with architects, consultants, main contractors, developers, and Government bodies and agencies.”
