EVENT REVIEW
opportunity for young people entering the profession. Corben outlined a series of initiatives aimed at
strengthening the workforce pipeline, including the continued growth of apprenticeship programmes, expanded graduate recruitment, and national programmes such as NHS Chef, now in its fifth year. Concluding his address, Corben called for collaboration across the sector to expand opportunities for apprentices and graduates and to drive forward digital solutions. Reflecting personally on the challenges facing young people entering the workforce, he said the NHS has “the power to do something really special” for the next generation.
AE announcement Following these opening sessions, there was a major announcement – IHEEM will now take responsibility for managing the Authorising Engineers (AE) Register. It felt like a big moment when NHS England’s Simon
Corben and IHEEM’s Pete Sellars signed a formal contract officially designating IHEEM as the sole owner and overseer of NHSE’s AE Register going forwards. This can be seen as a significant advancement for the
industry, as it enables centralised management of the Authorising Engineers process, and will provide a single point of oversight for the validation, accreditation, and ongoing professional development of AEs. Sellars said the benefits of the new arrangement will help support Authorising Engineers throughout their careers and ensure high professional standards are maintained.
One of the standout exhibits at the show for me was the New Hospital Programme (NHP) Hospital 2.0 single- bedroom prototype. This was the first time that the industry could have a live look at what the NHP believes can be the future of inpatient accommodation. The full-scale prototype of a standard inpatient singlebedroom – complete with ensuite and adjoining corridor – was designed in collaboration with offsite construction specialists Reds10. It’s all about standardising the design so that it can be easily repeated, with adjustments for specialist bedrooms – such as for children or maternity wards. The layout has been thought through to consider staff workflow, patient safety, and, more importantly, infection control. The prototype is a major step in the plan to build 40
new hospitals, a tangible element of what future hospitals could look like for a whole host of NHS Trusts. By testing layouts, technical interfaces, and patient-staff flow before construction, the programme aims to ensure consistency and efficiency from the off. Commenting on the prototype’s reception, NHP’s Kitty Dimbleby said: “The response to our Hospital 2.0 single- bedroom prototype was fantastic. A highlight for me was hosting members of the press – a normally tough crowd – at the prototype and seeing their enthusiasm first-hand.”
Key exhibitors, new products Healthcare Estates 2025 was a real showcase for innovation, with a number of companies unveiling new and improved products for the sector.
Left to right: Eddie McLaughlan from NHS Scotland; Doug Baldock Technical Services Director, New Hospital Programme; Stuart Douglas, NHS Wales.
January 2026 Health Estate Journal 31
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