ONLINE IHEEM AE EVENT
hindsight, but when the assurance process fails, as it does on occasions, it can have fundamentally devastating outcomes for some, and leave a potential legacy for years to come.”
It was thus important, Paul Fenton said, to ‘learn the lessons even better to pre- empt the outcome, and put in place the prevention before the event and mitigate against any litigation’.
He said: “So, if there was ever the right time to review how the IHEEM Technical Platforms operate, and the appointment and registration of Authorising Engineers, it had to be over the last 12 months, and to be put it into action now.”
In 2019 Technical Platform Chairs were informed that Bill Millar (pictured) and David Whiteley would undertake a high- level initial review of the existing Terms of Reference and working arrangements for all Technical Platforms.
the estate, and its building services – from construction of the testing ponds, back in February 2020, to extensions in critical care departments, to changes in ward areas for ‘red’, ‘amber’, and ‘green’ COVID segregation areas – have all had to be carried out swiftly and efficiently, often against ever-changing guidance and scientific evidence, with colleagues often having to ‘learn on the job’.”
Working alongside NHSE/I The speaker said he had had ‘the great pleasure and honour’ of working alongside the NHSE/I national Estates and Facilities team under the leadership of Simon Corben, the Head of Profession and Director of Estates and Facilities. He said: “These guys were brilliant. I was there assisting them with the regional surge planning as part of Operation Nightingale – as it was called in the early days – and the speed of construction of the Nightingales across the country, and the other surge capacity that was put in place across many, many Trusts, was truly remarkable. Hopefully, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However,” he continued, “in addition to the expedience in delivering these projects, across the whole NHS there was a requirement for strict governance and assurance against HTMs and HBNs, and ensuring that any derogations were carefully documented, and understood by all. The challenges were many, and the delivery not always perfect, and, as always, there will be those who behold to the greatest gift of all,
20 Health Estate Journal August 2021
A number of ‘key questions’ The scope of the Working Group meetings had, he said, included a number of key questions or points for the Technical Platform Chairs to work through to guide the Group through the process. An example were issues such as: Should applications be ratified or approved by the IHEEM Membership and Registration committee?; Should non-IHEEM members be part of the approvals process?; How does IHEEM ensure transparency and fairness in its authorisation of Authorising Engineers?; How does it ensure inclusivity and impartiality in its Boards of Registration for Authorising Engineers in those activities, and provide assurance that there are no conflicts of interest? Other questions included: How does IHEEM ensure that someone appointed is, and remains, fit for purpose as an IHEEM Authorising Engineer? – a question that
had generated a huge amount of discussion through the Working Group meetings. Equally, How does the Institute ensure that all Authorising Engineers maintain and uphold the appropriate professional standards and behaviours, and carry, where relevant, the necessary insurances and references obtained from previous or existing clients? Also discussed were whether Technical Platforms should have unlimited numbers of members, and whether membership should include professionals working within other healthcare sectors, such as representatives from the National Association of Healthcare Fire Officers (NAHFO), the EBME, or the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM). All of these were ‘potential subject matter experts who could improve and enhance the Authorising Engineers’ registration, approvals, and indeed the monitoring of, each AE’.
Some ‘great discussions’ Paul Fenton said that ‘these, and many, many more points’ were worked through, ‘culminating in some great discussions’. He said: “It was right that the Technical Platform Chairs were able to challenge some of the thinking and some of the rationale, each one an expert in their field, giving a valid and valued contribution to those discussions to make them as fruitful as they were. There were a number of compromises,” he added, “and not all Platform Chairs agreed on some points, but on the whole, the discussions were fair, and at the final meeting, there were just two or three points that needed resolving. By that meeting’s conclusion, it was agreed by the Platform Chairs that the revised Terms of Reference reflected all points that were made and were acceptable.”
HTM 00 states that healthcare organisations have a duty of care to patients, staff, and visitors, to ensure a safe and appropriate environment for healthcare. The requirement is identified in a wide range of legislation and common law.
The final Terms of Reference were subsequently ratified by the IHEEM Executive Council on 26 April 2021, with some minor amendments around the evidence of insurances following further correspondence from one of the Technical Platforms, raising concerns over the agreed wording. Paul Fenton said: “In conclusion, as Chair of the Working Group, I believe that we have carefully and professionally articulated the requirements of the revised proposed Terms of Reference to reflect the needs of the Technical Platforms, the Boards of Registration for Authorising Engineers, and the Institute itself. I believe, as does the IHEEM Executive Council, that the new Terms of Reference address the original concerns expressed back in 2019, and that the ‘task and finish’ Working Group has successfully delivered its objectives.” With this, Paul Fenton concluded his presentation, and handed over to the next speaker, David Harper (see separate article, pages 39-42).
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