This article recasts the way lighting systems in healthcare estates are commonly valued. We look beyond the carbon footprint savings, and outline the demographic and human resource challenges facing Estates managers. By looking at interior lighting in its full dimension, through its essential attributes (brightness, color temperature, and spatial cognition), Estates and Facilities managers may

Continuous professional development to ensure competency has been identified as an essential requirement for the decontamination sector, in the wake of the findings of the HSSIB report on a serious failure in decontamination. With this in mind, the IDSc was instrumental in the development and introduction of NHS Estates Technical Bulletin NETB/2024/1 version 2.0 — documenting the competency

The first morning’s opening conference session, at an event themed ‘Pioneering estates for tomorrow’, was prefaced with an introduction from IHEEM’s CEO, Pete Sellars, who highlighted the ‘great line-up of speakers’, and told delegates that what made such events special was their engagement with those presenting. He explained that the first session’s keynote speaker would

Hospital wastewater (HWW) is characterised by the presence of various emerging contaminants, such as pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs), several microorganisms, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), antibiotic-resistant genes (ARG), and persistent viruses, etc. It is important to note that Carbapenem antibiotics are often considered a last-resort treatment, as they represent the final suite of

NHS Property Services was a key partner leading on producing the business case for the ICB, and this project was also a first in England in terms of integrated partnership working between the NHS and the MOD. I was tasked with providing strategic advice and programme support, including the business case co-ordination for several years.

I have been a Consultant Microbiologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital for the past 20 years; my work focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of hospital infection. While I have no formal training in engineering, I’m the named inventor on three patents — including, most recently, the Tuba Drain. During my time at GOSH

Hospitals globally face persistent challenges in medical device management, impacting patient safety, operational efficiency, and financial sustainability. This paper draws insights from a seminal doctoral case study conducted within an NHS Trust, which explored the transformative potential of a collaborative, expert-led intervention in medical device management policy. The study identified systemic issues such as fragmented

Security and safety incidents are occurring in healthcare environments with increasing frequency and severity. Recent statistics show that healthcare workers in the United States are five times more likely to experience violence than non-healthcare workers. Even more concerning is the prevalence of security incidents in maternity and paediatric environments. In 2022, paediatrics ranked third among

As an Architectural Design manager specialising in healthcare facilities, I prioritise the critical importance of the seven flows of healthcare — patient, staff, equipment, medication, waste, information, and supply chain, in every project, from small theatre upgrades to remote 22-bed clinics in Africa, and large-scale 350-bed masterplans in city centres. These flows form the backbone

Estates and Facilities managers and their teams in NHS hospitals and other healthcare settings face major challenges. With the NHS committed to becoming the world’s first Net Zero national health service, numerous energy-saving measures must be implemented, with gas as an energy source increasingly being replaced by electricity. Additionally, the growing use of electronic equipment

The NHS has been utilising a combination of washer-disinfectors (WDs) and autoclaves for over 50 years, with obvious industry improvements over time to reduce power and water consumption. They are the accepted ‘go-to’ solution for sterilisation of reusable surgical equipment from operating theatres, as well as reusable devices that do not require sterilisation. Many NHS

In healthcare, infection control and patient safety are non-negotiable priorities. While effectively managing water safety is critical to reducing infection risks, balancing this responsibility with financial constraints and operational efficiency remains an ongoing challenge for both healthcare engineering and estate management personnel, and others with responsibility for the safety of the water system in hospitals

In a ground-breaking move, the Northumbria Health and Care Academy, alongside P+HS Architects, has set a new standard for healthcare facility design, prioritising staff wellbeing. Situated in the grounds of the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH) in Cramlington, Northumberland, and built by Meldrum Group (with Hilson Moran as WELL-Accredited Professionals on the scheme), the

The NHS is one of the UK’s largest property owners, managing over 29 million square metres of estate at a cost exceeding £10 bn per year. These buildings are more than just infrastructure — they are the backbone of patient care, enabling safe, high-quality services and driving healthcare transformation. A well-designed, fit-for-purpose estate supports digitally

The Building Safety Act 2022 marks a seismic shift in accountability, born from Grenfell’s tragedy, demanding full lifecycle transparency for Higher-Risk Buildings — including hospitals. For the NHS, this isn’t just an estates issue — it’s a legal, moral, and patient safety imperative. The ‘golden thread’ of accurate, accessible building data must be maintained from