IHEEM Knowledge Partners
The Institute has successful working relationships with several organisations to be able to deliver and expand on our education and training opportunities to further support our members throughout their career. We recognise and thank these trusted organisations for their support and outline our definition of a knowledge partner and relationship with these organisations below.
The Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management defines Knowledge Partners as organisations that:
- Share and understand a consistent purpose or goal.
- Contribute knowledge, experience, resources, and connections and share learning to achieve the shared purpose or goal.
- Rely on the partnership to reach a shared purpose or goal.
Engineering Council
As the regulatory body for the UK engineering profession, the Engineering Council sets and maintains internationally recognised standards of professional competence and commitment.
These are detailed in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC) and the Information and Communications Technology Technician (ICTTech) Standard.
The Engineering Council holds the national register of over 230,000 engineers and technicians who have been assessed against these standards and awarded one of our professional titles:
- Engineering Technician (EngTech)
- Incorporated Engineer (IEng)
- Chartered Engineer (CEng)
- Information and Communications Technology Technician (ICTTech)
The award and retention of these titles ensures that employers, government, and wider society – both in the UK and overseas – can have confidence in the knowledge, experience and commitment of engineers and technicians on the register.
How they are associated with IHEEM:
The Engineering Council’s standards provide a framework for the assessment of the competence and commitment requirements for professional registration. They also provide the criteria that degree programmes must meet to be awarded accredited status.
The standards are internationally recognised and industry-relevant. They provide employers, their customers and wider society with confidence that professionally registered engineers and technicians have met the standards set by the profession and will act in society’s best interests. The standards focus on outcomes and what individual engineers and technicians can do.
The peer assessment process of individuals and degree programmes is undertaken by sector-specific professional engineering institutions that are licensed by the Engineering Council to assess candidates for professional registration and accredit academic programmes. IHEEM is one of these licensed institutions.
HefmA
HEFMA members are responsible for the management of the day-to-day operation, maintenance and support services of all hospitals within an NHS Trust.
HEFMA also has strong links with Estates and Facilities colleagues in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales as well as other professional bodies including:
Association Healthcare Cleaning Professionals
Hospital Caterers Association
Society of Hospital Linen Service and Laundry Managers
Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management
The aims of HEFMA are to:
- Represent Facilities Management within the NHS
- Influence and implement the formulation of policy.
- Promote the professional management of healthcare facilities.
- Promote innovation
- Provide a forum for the exchange of relevant information.
- Share and develop matters of common interest with other associations and professional bodies.
- Promote the continuing professional development of Facilities staff and managers
- Strive for quality healthcare facilities within the NHS while recognising that the patient is the focal point for all we do
How they are associated with IHEEM:
IHEEM works in collaboration with HefmA on a number of agendas, part of our offer is all NHS Trusts registered with HefmA are able to apply for free NHS affiliate membership to IHEEM. Between them, the organisations cover both the hard and soft services of facilities management.
We are also working closely with HefmA regarding the new National Workforce Strategy which is being published in late 2020.
Eastwood Park Training
www.eastwoodparktraining.co.uk
As the UK leading provider of hospital engineering, decontamination and estates & FM training, Eastwood Park’s accredited training is delivered to healthcare organisations not only within the UK but worldwide.
Established for 50 years in 2019, Eastwood Park maintains its commitment to delivering quality training as much today as the day it started in this vital sector. Specialist training includes:
- Decontamination
- Medical gases
- Medical equipment
- Lift safety
- Heating & ventilation
- Water hygiene
- Fire safety
- Health & safety
- Electrical – high/ low voltage
- Estates & facilities management
For those looking to progress in their careers, Eastwood Park offers three healthcare engineering degrees: Foundation degree in Hospital Engineering, Foundation degree in Medical Equipment Technologies and BSc (Hons) Management of Healthcare Engineering Technologies & Facilities.
Extensive practical facilities allow delegates to put learning into practice within a safe and controlled environment. Working environments are recreated – these include an operating theatre, decontamination and sterilization facilities, the UK’s only “live” training medical gas pipeline outside of hospitals, as well as a 3-storey maintenance lift shaft and well-equipped HV centre.
Courses are delivered by experienced industry specialists with decades of experience working in their chosen fields.
How they are associated with IHEEM:
Eastwood Park Training manage and deliver training solutions for the Institute, including:
The IHEEM AE(D) competency framework, to provide a formal route for individuals wishing to register as Authorising Engineers in the field of Decontamination.
Mentoring and assessing to provide an IHEEM accredited mentor to support our members through the non-standard route to professional registration.
TAHPI
Total Alliance Health Partners International (TAHPI) is one of the most prolific authors of International Standards and Guidelines for Healthcare Design customised for different regions of the world. It is the largest developer of software and web-based tools for healthcare Service Planning, Functional Briefing, Supply Capture, Mapping and Equipment Planning for the entire healthcare industry.
Healthcare is becoming more complex in a challenging environment where hospitals are expected to provide more services, faster, and budgets are under pressure. Medical Technology is viewed as a solution to improving productivity and control costs while maintaining the highest quality care.
TAHPI offer a range of accredited training courses and software packages to support solutions in Healthcare infrastructure.
How they are associated with IHEEM:
TAHPI works with IHEEM to deliver courses including the Health Facility Planning Course and Health Facility Briefing System and have also given IHEEM members access to their set of International Health Facility Guidelines which can be found via the knowledge portal.
Archus
Archus is a strategic and technical advisory practice focused on planning, development, specification and delivery of healthcare infrastructure. Our offering is based on extensive accumulated knowledge and a proven track record of delivery; we have the skills, experience and motivation to help our clients achieve their goals, creating success in strategizing, planning and implementing their projects.
How they are associated with IHEEM:
IHEEM and Archus are working in collaboration through an agreed MOU to disseminate National Technical Standards and Health Building Note Guidance to our members and the Healthcare sector.
This will be through the development and delivery of live and web-based CPD learning and knowledge events, seminars and online resources aligned to NHSI/E national guidance programme.
Royal Academy of Engineering
The Royal Academy of Engineering’s overarching goal for 2025 is to harness the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone. They have a responsibility to provide leadership for engineering and technology and technical leadership for wider society.
They are a charity and deliver public benefit from engineering excellence and technology innovation.
They provide progressive leadership for engineering and technology, and independent expert advice to government, in the UK and beyond.
They are a fellowship which brings together a community of leading business people, entrepreneurs, innovators and academics from every part of engineering and technology.
How they are associated with IHEEM:
Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic, IHEEM has been liaising with the Royal Academy of Engineering on a number of topics to inform SAGE, NHSI/E and Government in their response. Additionally to this, IHEEM has recently become an official Policy Partner to their National Engineering Policy Centre and contributed to their response to the 2020 Spending review in its paper entitled ‘Engineering a resilient and sustainable future’ which was released on 30th September 2020.
The Institute of Engineering and Technology
The IET Education is an arm of the Institute of Engineering and Technology which supports STEM teachers by providing a range of resources linked to the UK curriculum and partnering with organisations to create experiences that inspire teachers and students alike.
How they are associated with IHEEM:
During Heathcare Estates Digital Week IHEEM anounced that it will bean IET Education theme partner for the 2021/22 Faraday Challenge. Based on a real-world problem, the Faraday Challenge brings together STEM subjects in an engaging way and encourages the development of young people’s problem solving and communication skills. It is open to anyone between the ages of 7-15, and young people can take part at home, or in school – either individually, or as part of a group. Individuals or teams will be assessed on their ability to plan and develop a product, use their STEM knowledge effectively, and demonstrate the skills required to work effectively in the world of engineering – including teamwork, flexibility and adaptability, resilience and perseverance, budgeting, and communication. Winners of each ‘theme’ will receive a £10 voucher for themselves, and the top five teams from across the UK will compete in a National Final for a prize of up to £1,000 to spend on STEM products for their school. IHEEM will be providing matched funding of £25,000 to the programme and is currently working with the devolved administrations to devise a problem, a solution to which will specifically benefit healthcare engineering, that the young competitors will seek to address.
EUHPN
The European Health Property Network (EuHPN) mission is to promote better standards, and more effective investment in health property across Europe.
How they are associated with IHEEM:
Both organisations work together to share knowledge and best practice between our members and health community. We are looking to work together to collaborate with EUHPN to deliver joint webinars/seminars.
IFHE & IFHE EU
The goal of the International Federation of Healthcare Engineering is to actively support its members, who mostly comprise national organisations associated with supporting the Design, Construction and Operation of healthcare facilities around the world.
IFHE is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation which facilitates the sharing of knowledge, peer networking, publication of relevant material and promotion of sustainability and other initiatives in the global healthcare sector. The usefulness and relevance of the IFHE is widely recognised by individuals and organisations who take an active interest in the world-wide healthcare environment.
In June 2005 the IFHE Council accepted the collaboration as a ‘Regional Group’ within IFHE; the group currently consists of 14 associations from 11 countries.
At its meeting held in Manchester, UK in October 2019, the Council Members of IFHE voted in favour of changing the organisation’s name from the ‘International Federation of Hospital Engineering’, to the ‘International Federation of Healthcare Engineering’. This change allows us to retain the acronym by which we are globally known and recognised (IFHE), and to continue to use our refreshed brand and logo.
Objectives of IFHE
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Promote, develop and disseminate hospital engineering technology
- Compare international experience
- Promote the principle of integrated planning, design and evaluation by improved collaboration between the professions
- Promote more efficient management of operation, maintenance and safety of hospitals, their engineering installations, equipment and buildings
- Offer collaboration with other international organisations
How they are associated with IHEEM:
IHEEM are working in collaboration with IFHE/IFHE-EU to look at the feasibility of sharing relevant guidance and our best practice documents internationally across a whole range of different languages to better support our international efm community. Alongside strengthening our engagement with WHO and providing access to technical research funding opportunities.