COMMENT


A new President and a footballing legend in Manchester


Last month’s Healthcare Estates 2024 event saw over 6500 attendees visit Manchester Central over the two days – a ‘significant increase’ on 2023. Pete Sellars, IHEEM’s CEO, expressed ‘a massive thank you from IHEEM to all who attended and supported the Institute’s annual flagship conference, exhibition, and gala dinner awards this year’. In Manchester, senior figures from government,


professional and campaigning bodies, the healthcare engineering and EFM sector, the associated architectural and construction chain, and suppliers, addressed topics ranging from current recruitment challenges to AI’s role in making modern healthcare facilities run more efficiently, and planning the estate of the future. January’s HEJ will include reports on some of the most interesting presentations. The Institute’s 2024 AGM saw IHEEM’s first female


President, Alison Ryan, hand over to her successor, Nigel Keery, following a busy two years during which she made a considerable impact – perhaps most notably in her equality, diversity and inclusion work, and in STEM outreach in schools and colleges. An enthusiastic champion of healthcare engineering who followed her father into the field, she also attended numerous branch and other IHEEM events – including representing IHEEM last November – in the Institute’s 80th anniversary year – at the Hong Kong Branch’s 25th anniversary symposium. A few weeks before Healthcare Estates 2024, I


Cover Story


Anti-tamper solution prevents unauthorised POU filter removal


T-safe has launched an innovative water safety security anti-tamper solution, designed to prevent unauthorised removal of point-of-use (POU) filters, which can increase the risk of infection from waterborne pathogens in healthcare environments by enabling the uncontrolled release of contaminated water. Here patients and staff may be exposed directly to


microorganisms such as Legionella pneumophila and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), while other bacteria able to survive in the environment, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, can also cross-contaminate surrounding surfaces, such as on medical devices, medicines, and equipment. T-safe MD, Stephen McCreanor, said:


“This can be of concern to Water Safety Groups – which have specifically installed filters due to a known contamination of the hospital water system – especially in areas where immunocompromised and neutropenic patients are present.” POU filters provide a physical barrier


to the release of harmful opportunistic waterborne pathogens, but, T-safe emphasises, are not a ‘fit and forget’ solution. Their use should be effectively managed, and their unauthorised removal controlled.


November 2024 | Volume 78 | Issue 10 T-safe’s latest innovation in water


safety provides a robust, reliable way to prevent unauthorised removal of both tap and shower filters. The unique design of the T-safe anti-tamper tap adapter and shower hose restricts the removal and refitting of filters to authorised persons only. Key features of the Fixed Position


Anti-Tamper Adapter include: n Prevention of the unauthorised removal of the tap filter. n The swivel mechanism stops unauthorised removal of


the tap adapter. n Removal requires a bespoke release tool. n A smooth external surface, with no dirt traps.


n The ability to collect water samples from the adapter using a bespoke bypass sampler.


Footballing legend addresses


dinner guests see page 31


New President sets


out his goals see page 24


How digital tech is making


its mark see page 53


T-safe 32 Annesborough Road Annesborough Industrial Estate Craigavon, BT67 9JD T: 44 (0) 300 124 6050 E: sales.uk@t-safe.com W: www.t-safe.com


FC HEJ Nov24.indd 1 21/10/2024 10:00 November 2024 Health Estate Journal 5


Fixed Position Anti-Tamper Adapter release tool.


interviewed the then President-Elect, Nigel Keery, by ‘Teams’, to learn more about his 35-year association with IHEEM, the highlights of his healthcare engineering career, and some of his hopes and ambitions as IHEEM’s new President. He remains as enthusiastic about the profession as he was when he secured his first full-time professional role in healthcare in 1989. Today, having cut his engineering teeth with world- renowned shipbuilder, Harland and Wolff, he heads the Estates and Facilities function at one of Europe’s biggest public sector healthcare providers (see pages 24-28). This edition also includes a report on the IHEEM


Healthcare Estates 2024 Awards Dinner, held in Manchester on the evening of the event’s first day, and a ‘sell-out’. In all 13 awards were presented, including the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award – this year won by Eddie McLaughlan. Guests were also treated to an entertaining after-dinner speech by England footballing legend, Kevin Keegan. An appropriately upbeat celebratory event – see pages 31-36 for a full report.


Keery remains as enthusiastic about the profession as he was when he secured his first full-time professional role in healthcare in 1989


Advertising feature


Jonathan Baillie, Editor


jonathanbaillie@ stepcomms.com


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