Having recently started a new job, by way of some sort of initiation I was tasked with writing an article for Health Estate Journal. While searching through the archives of the magazine seeking inspiration, I came across an article titled ‘The Missing Health Technical Memoranda’, first published on 3 November 2006. This article centred on

Any healthcare setting must run like clockwork to always ensure patient safety. At the heart of hospital services, hidden away from patients, most staff, and the public, are plant rooms. An area that could be described as the ‘engine room’ of any hospital, plant rooms transport water and other mission-critical supplies around the building. This

James Donagain, head of Healthcare Compliance at Skanska UK, is relentless in his commitment to upholding rigorous and sustainable hygiene standards within healthcare facilities. His tireless pursuit led him to confront the persistent challenge of Pseudomonas aeruginosa contamination, in particular at the inherently vulnerable periphery of domestic water systems. Following a journey of discovery, James

Giving a mid-morning presentation at the online conference, titled ‘The next steps for Net Zero and sustainability in the NHS’, Lord Markham was introduced by session Chair, Alifia Chakera, who is head of Pharmaceutical Sustainability, Health Infrastructure and Sustainability Division, at the Scottish Government. She explained that the Infrastructure and Sustainability team is ‘a relatively

Giving the opening presentation at the half-day online conference, titled ‘The next steps for Net Zero and sustainability in the NHS’, Dr Pinto was introduced by the Chair for the first half of the event, MP for Crewe & Nantwich, Dr Kieran Mullan — who before being elected as an MP in 2019, was an

“If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise”. Those are the often repeated lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy that were added to the tune of The Teddy Bears Picnic in 1932, by the Irish songwriter, to the tune composed by John Walter Bratton, in 1907. While not as old as this

Preventing infections arising from the built environment in a new healthcare facility is a different entity to the traditional understanding of infection prevention and control (an Infection Control team patrolling the wards, and adherence to handwashing protocols etc). Any stakeholder can inadvertently take an action which results in a patient acquiring infection. This could, for

Great office spaces are more than just the bricks and mortar used to build them. They are built with occupants in mind, to create places people want to work in that encourage collaboration and productivity. A laboratory is no different. Our brief as MEP and lab design consultants for the London Institute of Medical Sciences’

HEJ’s readers will be acutely aware of the growing NHS building maintenance backlog, and with an ageing healthcare estate on the one hand, and ever higher expectations for care on the other, many – and especially, older, healthcare buildings – have reached a condition where refurbishment or reconfiguration to bring them up to modern standards

The health of the planet and the health of people are inextricably linked, with the World Health Organization declaring climate change the biggest health threat to humanity. There have been many studies to back this up, particularly around pollution, and how it increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, respiratory problems, and dementia. At Bupa,

In the first half of a two-part article, Consultant Medical Microbiologist, Dr Michael Weinbren, head of Estates Risk and Environment at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, George McCracken, Susanne Lee of independent microbiology consultancy, Leegionella, and Consultant Microbiologist at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Dr Teresa Inkster, argue that ensuring patient safety in new

Stuart Douglas became Director of Specialist Estates Services (SES), part of NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (NWSSP), just over a year ago, having been Deputy Director since August 2022. HEJ editor, Jonathan Baillie, recently met up with him by ‘Teams’ to find out more about his career, and discuss some of the most pressing issues

In July 2022, the NHS made a major commitment to decarbonisation, and its landmark pledge to achieve Net Zero by 2040 was a world-first for health services.  Healthcare is one of the nation’s highest energy-consuming industries, with the NHS responsible for 4% of the UK’s total carbon emissions. With the total energy bill for NHS

Healthcare-specific technical engineering guidance is a vital tool in the safe and efficient operation of healthcare facilities, so that if disturbances to mains power do occur, patient or staff safety is not in danger. The key challenges in protecting critical power in healthcare situations include: Compliance with multiple guidelines, regulations, and healthcare-specific standards, including HTM

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust describes the construction of new Centre for Laboratory Medicine at St James’s Hospital – the building was completed by BAM in July 2023, and is expected to be fully operational this summer (2024) – as ‘a significant milestone in regional healthcare’. This is because the 450-500 staff that will move