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Call to urgently vaccinate waste collection operatives
Illness among clinical waste collection operatives not yet vaccinated could see the collection and disposal of waste arising from the UK- wide COVID-19 vaccination programme face significant challenges, potentially slowing the vaccine roll-out, Graham Flynn, managing director of independent healthcare waste management company Anenta, has warned.
Anenta manages clinical waste collection services covering 300 vaccination centres, and thousands of GP surgeries and pharmacies for the NHS across London and the south-east of England. “We’re close to seeing illness among those trained to collect healthcare and clinical waste reach such high proportions that the collection of PPE and syringes from vaccination centres could falter, and services to the wider NHS could be seriously affected,” said Graham Flynn. “We’re already seeing record numbers of drivers calling in sick.
“In the last week alone we’ve had to make alternative arrangements for 15 per cent of all collections.”
He added: “If drivers are not vaccinated, and continue contracting COVID-19, the collection of clinical waste could slow significantly, putting pressure on the system as long-term storage sites at vaccination centres become strained. This could not only slow the vaccination schedule, but could also delay collection of healthcare waste from other healthcare settings.”
Graham Flynn says sick drivers result in delays in both the delivery of replacement containers for sharps, and in clinical waste collection. He added: “For GP surgeries administering vaccines, this impacts the types of services they can deliver, and could affect the delivery of clinical care on site. For vaccine centres, if safe storage is not possible, that could slow the rate at which jabs can be administered.”
Final phase of Welsh COVID ward
Modular construction specialist, Darwin Group, has handed over the keys to the new Lakeside Wing at University Hospital of Wales (UHW) in Cardiff, after working ‘24/7’ through lockdown to complete the second and final phase of construction works ahead of schedule. Delivering an additional 234 beds, the completion of the Southern wing of the site brings the total capacity of the modular building to 400 patients – with a further 200 beds made available across Cardiff and Vale University Health Board’s (CAVUHB) other sites, meeting COVID-19 requirements set out by the Welsh Government. Darwin Group said: “COVID-19 patients will be able to be moved into the facility immediately, following a thorough project handover.” The £33 million build, directed by CAVUHB, has been delivered in just 20 weeks, owing largely to the Shropshire firm’s modular construction techniques – which enabled it to undertake much of the construction process offsite, and saw it install 280 building modules in just 70 days. Darwin Group was appointed last September to deliver the U-shaped modular wing in anticipation of a second spike of coronavirus cases. The temporary build will support UHW
16 Health Estate Journal March 2021 Diary dates
16 MAR IHEEM Digital Programme 2021 ‘NHS England & NHS Improvement Estates Forum’ webinar with NHSE/NHSI. For more information, visit
www.iheem.org.uk
24 MAR IHEEM online AE Conference 2021. T: 023 9282 3186; E:
office@iheem.org.uk;
www.iheem.org.uk
8 APR IHEEM young members’ roundtable. T: 023 9282 3186; E:
office@iheem.org.uk
14 APR IHEEM 2021 Digital Programme ‘An Energy Roadmap to Achieve Net Zero Carbon’ webinar and launch event. To register, visit:
www.iheem.org.uk/events
9-10 JUN Design in Mental Health 2020 Conference, Exhibition & Awards Dinner, Ricoh Arena, Coventry.
www.designinmentalhealth.com
9 SEPT IHEEM Regional Conference and Exhibition; venue and more details tbc. T: 023 9282 3186; E:
office@iheem.org.uk;
www.iheem.org.uk
19-20 OCT Healthcare Estates Conference, Exhibition & Awards Dinner 2021, Manchester Central. T: 01892 518877;
www.healthcare-estates.com
1-2 NOV IHEEM Dublin 2021 ‘Delivering Sustainable Healthcare Estates’ Conference, Exhibition and Awards Dinner 2021, Croke Park, Dublin. T: 023 9282 3186; E:
dublin2020@iheem.org.uk
IHEEM Branch of the Month Webinars Q1, 2021
18 MAR – East Midlands Branch. 22 APR – London & South East Branch. 20 MAY – Hong Kong Branch. 17 JUN – North East Branch. 22 JUL – North West Branch.
For further details, and to register, visit
www.iheem.org.uk/events; E:
office@iheem.org.uk; T: 023 9282 3186
throughout the remainder of the pandemic, with plans already being drawn up for it to be repurposed in due course. Darwin Group’s in-house team provided a turnkey service across all stages of the project.
Charles Pierce, Darwin Group’s MD, said: “This facility’s delivery has only heightened in significance following the latest peak in coronavirus cases. Darwin Group has worked tirelessly throughout night and day to ensure that the patients who need these additional beds will be able to access them. We are supported by a fantastic in-house team of designers, engineers, and various construction professionals.”
IHEEM/TAHPI online Healthcare Facility Planning Course
19-30 APR –Q2 20 SEPT-1 OCT –Q3
IHEEM/TAHPI online Health Facility Briefing System Tools & Techniques Course
1 & 2 MAR –Q1 7 & 8 JUN –Q2 29 & 30 NOV –Q4
For further details on both the above training courses, E:
training@iheem.org.uk; T: 023 9282 3186.
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