NHS estates teams are under increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions while managing limited space across hospital sites. While many sustainability projects focus on buildings, the staff commute is another area where estates teams can make a real impact. Staff parking is often seen as a basic operational task, but for many NHS sites it

For decades, the value of healthcare construction was measured at handover: on time, on budget, and to specification. Yet the real world now tells us something very different. Many of the illnesses filling hospital beds originate years earlier in the places people live, work, and grow up. With the NHS under unprecedented pressure — including

A clinical decision can be made in minutes. A doctor reviews results, confirms treatment, and agrees that a patient is ready to transfer or discharge. In digital terms, the system works — the decision is recorded in the electronic patient record (EPR), orders are placed, documentation is complete. But recording a decision is not the

The World Health Organization (WHO) has made its position unmistakably clear. Multidrug- resistant gram-negative bacteria are no longer an emerging concern but a dominant global health threat, with carbapenem resistance representing one of the most critical failures in contemporary antimicrobial therapy. Organisms once treatable with last line of defence drugs such as meropenem and imipenem

After pre-dinner drinks and a delicious three-course meal — and before an after dinner talk by rugby star Jonathan Davies CBE — delegates settled down to watch the 2026 IHEEM Wales Regional Awards presentation. In total, there were seven awards up for grabs. Apprentice of the Year Award Sponsored by Tilbury Douglas, the winner of

After welcoming delegates to the IHEEM Wales Regional Conference 2026, IHEEM CEO Pete Sellers introduced the event’s theme of Navigating uncertainty — contingency and resilience in healthcare estates. Faced with both the everyday pressures of running of NHS states and facilities and the global pressures that have seen a rise in uncertainty across the board

Operating theatres (OTs) are becoming increasingly intelligent, incorporating technologies such as 3D navigation and imaging, AI, and augmented reality. Understanding how these solutions can be safely and effectively integrated within the healthcare space is vital to the future proofing of healthcare facilities. This increasing complexity was a driver for Starkstrom’s investment in its demonstration and

Against a backdrop of ageing healthcare buildings, mounting backlog maintenance, and increasing pressure on capital budgets, long-term roofing performance is becoming an increasingly important part of estate resilience planning. As Garland UK marks 25 years in the UK market, the company is reflecting on the lessons learned from supporting healthcare estates across the country, including

As the NHS accelerates its journey towards Net Zero, low-carbon heat technologies are no longer theoretical. Heat pumps, geothermal systems, and low-carbon energy centres now feature regularly in board papers, capital plans, and strategic discussions. Yet those involved in delivering these schemes are increasingly clear about one thing: the success or failure of low-carbon heat

Sam Vijatov: Congratulations on winning Architectural Practice of the Year. How would you describe your style and philosophy as an architect practice? Paul Mathews: We started in 1997, so about 28 years ago now. We set out originally to do a mix of healthcare and other stuff, but over the years as we’ve developed and

Fire dampers are critical safety devices, hidden away inside ventilation ducting and key to preventing the spread of fire. Hopefully, they are never required to close in anger, but regular inspection and testing of their readiness to do so is obviously vital — and required by law. However, there are a worrying number of buildings

Electrical safety in Group 2 healthcare facilities remains one of the most critical challenges in modern healthcare infrastructure. Even minor electrical faults can have life-threatening consequences in operating theatres, intensive care units, and other high-risk clinical environments. While international standards such as IEC 60364-7-710 provide a clear framework, effective safety depends on proper implementation, continuous

At Wycombe, MTX is set to create a landmark 15,000m² six-storey building that will allow Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust to move core services out of the aging Wycombe Tower Block, which is unfit for long-term use. Key civil works will formally start this month to prepare the site for the new facility, which will be

As the healthcare sector enters a new era of construction, contract management is the key enabler of collaboration, risk control, sustainability and certainty across large-scale programmes. Hospitals are far more than bricks and mortar or steel structures — they are critical clinical ecosystems, combining life-critical infrastructure with architecture that must remain agile, future-proofed, and compliant

Wales Regional Conference, Exhibition and Awards Dinner 2026 The annual Wales Regional Conference, Exhibition and Gala Awards Dinner will take place on 6/7 May 2026 in partnership with NHS Wales, Shared Services Partnership, and Specialist Estate Services. The Conference and Exhibition are being held at the International Conference Centre at (ICC) Coldra Woods, Newport, South Wales,