TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Estates and Facilities S P O T L I G H T O N


brother, thriving in science classes at school, while a family friend who worked as an aircraft mechanic also inspired Claire to go into engineering. She went on to train with the Royal Navy as one of the first female Weapons Engineering Mechanics at 17, starting her career with the NHS four years later as an apprentice electrician with Hammersmith Hospital. An illustrious NHS career has seen Claire progress through Craftsperson status, into estates management and directorship. Her engineering background has been invaluable throughout, with


C CLAIRE HENNESSY


her roles requiring broader skillsets as she has progressed, including budgetary, people management, contract, and soft facilities management services oversight. Central to her development in these areas has been the support and freedom offered by senior leaders and mentors to train and hone new skills in each post, which she has carried forwards and further built on in each new role. Claire’s appreciation of people development and knowledge-sharing extends beyond her professional life, as she has recently made a


return to the military as a volunteer approved instructor, training cadets across a broad range of key skills. ‘It is a fantastic youth organisation that is really inclusive and supports young people to develop key skills that will help them through life, making learning fun and inspirational,’ she says. Throughout her career, at the heart of Claire’s drive to deliver exceptional estates management is provision of the best possible


environment and facilities to support high quality care and treatment to patients. ‘When you work in this environment and witness people at their most vulnerable, the empathy you feel is overwhelming.’ Her commitment to professional standards and patient care is evidenced by the myriad awards she has won throughout her career.


Accolades include Junior Engineer of the Year with the Central London Maintenance Association at the start of her career, with her team most recently winning the IHEEM’s Estates and Facilities Team of the Year, Sustainable Achievement award, and Champion of Champions. The latter was awarded to Stephen Hinckes, nominated by Claire for his positive leadership, career guidance, and mentorship, to junior


E&F team members. The recognition of her team’s commitment to nurturing professional development neatly comes full circle from the support that Claire has also benefitted from throughout her career. It demonstrates that at its most effective, such a culture cascades from the top tiers of leadership, ensuring its longevity, impact, and sustainability.


laire Hennessy FIHEEM is Director of Estates and Facilities with Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust. From a young age she built extensive Lego block estates with her


Get in touch WWW. IHEEM.ORG.UK


The Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management - IHEEM


E: office@iheem.org.uk T: 023 9282 3 186


IHEEM (The Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management)


@IHEEM @iheemuk


October 2023 Health Estate Journal 17


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124