IHEEM WALES REGIONAL CONFERENCE 2023
The decontamination unit at the Grange University Hospital (above left) has drawn together services supplying multiple sites, while at Glangwili Hospital, a central decontamination hub serves the associated needs for all the hospitals operated across the Hywel Dda University Health Board region.
local authority partners and others in developing estate strategies together. The speaker said: “We in Shared Services are very interested in hearing feedback from this, and seeing how this might be applied in Wales, and certainly value the thoughts and insights of professionals in the sector as well.”
The ‘decarbonisation challenge’ Turning next to ‘the challenge of decarbonisation, Stuart Douglas said that in the period since the declaration of ‘climate emergency’ in 2019, the NHS in Wales had been faced with the introduction of challenging targets to reduce carbon use. He said: “We now face having to progress these amid the constraints of safe engineering infrastructure and limited funds. For those who thought we could just plug new technology into existing health sites, it’s been a rude awakening.” There were, however, ‘opportunities’ – which all had a responsibility to try to identify. He said: “When I look at the portfolio of EFAB (Estates Funding Advisory Board) projects
delivered by you across the NHS, it is fantastic to see increments of progress being made on solar farms, introduction of PV, and BMS controls; it is fantastic to see the imagination. I would encourage you to look at the portfolio we have produced, see what other people did, and share your valuable experiences.”
Other funding sources Stuart Douglas noted that there were also other sources of funding – such as Re:fit Cymru, adding: “Looking at our infrastructure, we need to be ensuring that we’re planning for the introduction of any future power capacity for us to be able to rapidly reduce fossil fuel. We need to develop in anticipation of when electric vehicle charging demand becomes greater, so we have the electrical capacity to respond to that. It’s great to see collaboration across NHS Wales in supporting the joint working parties we’re running to plan a national electric vehicle charging policy.” Having a consistent and unified approach in meeting these challenges was – he said – ‘vital’.
Need for ‘clear, risk-adjusted information’ “Finally,” the NHWSSP speaker told delegates, “as with so many initiatives, we need to promote individual responsibility to achieve decarbonisation, requiring leaders across the NHS to champion the cause – people like us. In conclusion,” he added, “in response to the challenges outlined, we need to ensure that we provide our Health Board leadership with clear, risk-adjusted information on the condition of the estate. We need to develop a deliverable vision for the future, which takes the capital opportunities, at organisational, collaborative, and fully public sector-wide level. We also need to embrace decarbonisation through incremental and good housekeeping measures. We need to ensure that our engineering infrastructure needs are identified, and that we monitor emerging technologies, and changing attitudes.
Showing appreciation “In the rush to meet our workload,” Stuart Douglas added, “and under the tremendous pressures we face, we are in danger of falling into the trap of highlighting only what is wrong, and what still needs to be done. An NHS colleague reminded me that it would be ‘nice to show appreciation for what is right, and what has been done’. One of our roles at Shared Services is to pass on various messages from Welsh Government during the course of our work, and on this occasion, I’m particularly pleased to pass on the sincere thanks of Deputy Director of NHS Capital and Facilities, Ian Gunning, and the wider team, for all the work you do. Added to that are my own thanks, and best wishes for a successful and rewarding conference.”
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, have recently joined together to plan a diagnostic and kidney centre in a recently acquired former BA hangar in Llantrisant (pictured), with Rhondda Cynon Taf Borough Council playing a major role in securing the site.
32 Health Estate Journal August 2023
n Acknowledgment: HEJ would like to thank the Communications Team at NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership – Specialist Estates Services, for its help in obtaining images used to illustrate this article.
Courtesy of NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership – Specialist Estates Services
Courtesy of Hywel Dda University Health Board
Courtesy of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
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