RECENT NEWS

A group of 18 young women have gained an insight into engineering careers through a workshop exploring the challenges of designing a future-proof hospital.

With updates to Approved Document L of the Building Regulations ruling out non-condensing direct-fired water heaters having just come into force, the hot water industry will be instrumental in ensuring ‘a seamless switch’ to higher efficiency condensing water heaters.

Östra Sjukhuset in Gothenburg, one of four sites that form Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden’s largest university hospital, claims to be ‘setting the global standard in sustainable hospital waste and linen management’ after appointing Envac to install its optical linen sorting technology as part of a major modernisation programme.

Government must ‘seize the post-pandemic opportunity’ to mandate long-term improvements to infection control in commercial, public, and residential buildings ‘to reduce the transmission of future waves of COVID-19, new pandemics, seasonal influenza, and other infectious diseases’.

The first UK-wide national Young Academy – a network of early career researchers and professionals – is being launched today (14 June).

Patient safety, and the NHS’s ability to drive down waiting lists and hit performance targets, are being ‘severely hampered’ because the NHS has been ‘plagued by one of the worst records for capital investment in the OECD over the past decade’.

The Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network, Sean Duggan, has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Honours List.

Leading finance and accounting, digital, procurement, and workforce services provider, NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS), has launched its ‘second-generation’ Hard Facilities Management framework agreement.

An ‘inspiring’ mental health rehabilitation centre in Lancashire has been handed over to the NHS. Architectural, design, and masterplanning practice, Frank Whittle Partnership (FWP) was appointed by Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCft) to deliver the £9.4 million centre, leading on the redevelopment of an existing hospital building at Wesham, near Blackpool, which had stood empty for over eight years.

Illustrator and reportage artist, Emily Thomas, has been working with CW+, the official charity of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, as part of her residency at West Middlesex University Hospital, producing a collection of illustrations which capture and celebrate the workforce there.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester and former Health Secretary, the Rt Hon Andy Burnham, will appear before a cross-party inquiry into the future of healthcare infrastructure next month to provide his expert insight.

Inspiring and supporting the next generation of engineers ‘will help society solve the big technical and scientific challenges of today and tomorrow’, said Kevin Mitchell CEng, FCIBSE, the incoming President of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, in his Presidential Address on 5 May.

NHS England and NHS Improvement and Health Education England (HEE) have launched an NHS ‘Estates and Facilities Apprenticeship Challenge’ to support the greater use of apprenticeships in estates and facilities.

Specialist healthcare infrastructure consultancy, Archus, has established a new Dublin office, to expand its provision of strategic and infrastructure advice to health and social care clients in the region.

A cross-party group of MPs and peers is seeking views on how the NHS estate and infrastructure can best meet patient needs.

With ambitious build plans for the UK’s New Hospital Programme set in motion, the latest report from polymer product specialist, REHAU, found that 98% of the M&E contractors and architects working in healthcare surveyed would be willing to pay extra for products with longer lifespans when constructing healthcare facilities.

With buildings widely recognised as a major source of energy consumption – the global real estate market consumes 60% of the world’s electricity, and emits 28% of global carbon emissions – Arloid says its ‘innovative’ Artificial Intelligence (AI) ‘enables any building to cut energy bills amid the global fuel crisis’.

A new ‘Supplier Guide’ which will be updated regularly as the New Hospital Programme progresses, highlights what those managing the programme say ‘is important to us and, what will be required from our supply chain’ was published on 14 April.

Experts at Northumbria University are supporting a £1 million research study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which aims to improve the outcomes and experiences of those discharged from mental healthcare facilities.

The energy market has certainly hit the news headlines in recent times, as the conflict in Ukraine has led to record market prices, and concerns about long-term continuity of supply.