COMMENT
Estate challenges lead to innovation
Welcome to the October issue of Health Estate Journal. As has become customary, October is our biggest issue
of the year, which means that Healthcare Estates attendees will have plenty to get their teeth into when we distribute copies at this year’s show. I look forward to seeing you there.
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of visiting the
John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford to tour the new Surgical Elective Centre (SEC) being constructed by MTX on the site of a former car park using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). On p47 you can read my in-depth report on how the SEC is a persuasive example not only of how such buildings ought to be constructed, but how NHS waiting lists could be significantly reduced by the adoption of innovative approaches to surgical workflows and patient care. The management and revitalisation of the existing NHS estate remains a key concern. On p33, Dr Abbie Romano, head of industrialisation for the New Hospital Programme (NHP) at NHS England, explains how, through its industrialisation strategy and Hospital 2.0 approach, the NHP is shaping not only decisions around hospital delivery, but also showing how hospitals should be maintained, adapted, and operated in the decades ahead. A critical issue currently facing the NHS estate is
Reinforced Aerated Autoclaved Concrete (RAAC), and in Cover Story
Healthcare mixers: hygiene, safety, and ergonomics
Hygiene, safety, and ergonomics are fundamental requirements of any healthcare mixer. DELABIE | DVS’ SECURITHERM EP pressure-balancing mixer (2447LEPUK) offers an engineered solution to deliver these three essential elements. The SECURITHERM EP mixer has been designed
with hygiene in mind. The body and spout have smooth interiors, reducing the niches where bacteria can adhere and proliferate. The tubes and mechanism are designed to hold very low water volumes and reduce the number of components in contact with water. When the mixer is shut off, the volume of standing water is minimised, reducing the risk of Legionella development. The flat, fixed under spout is fitted with a flow straightener to minimise splashing and can be fitted with a BIOFIL terminal filter. The SECURITHERM EP mixer features
a ceramic cartridge which is sensitive to changes in system pressure. An internal shuttle continually adjusts to the incoming hot and cold-water supply pressures to ensure a consistent temperature. So, if there were a complete loss of pressure at the cold water inlet, the shuttle would immediately reduce the hot water flow to a trickle, and vice versa. For additional safety, the mixer also features a maximum temperature limiter which prevents the mixed water at the
October 2026 | Volume 80 | Issue 09
outlet exceeding 41°C. Pre-set under 3 bar pressure for both hot and cold water, it can be adjusted by the installer to suit system pressure conditions. Maintenance staff can also override the temperature limiter to undertake thermal shocks; however, the user cannot – avoiding accidental scalding during use.
Securitouch thermal insulation provides an additional
level of safety. The internal tubes and mixing chamber are insulated from the external surfaces, so the mixer body remains at an ambient temperature. Available with a hygiene control lever,
the SECURITHERM EP 2447LEPUK mixer can be operated by people with reduced mobility. The longer hygiene lever offers a hands-free alternative to further reduce the spread of pathogens. The increased spout length guarantees optimised hand washing and the wall-mounted mixer can be installed at an optimised height to minimise the risk of bacteria splashing back from the waste onto the spout.
Designing for operation, not
just construction see page 33
MMC brings new Surgical Elective
Centre to Oxford see page 47
Medical gas safety: the
new chapter see page 63
DELABIE | DVS
www.delabie.co.uk
HEJ cover
October26.indd 1 21/09/2026 10:23 October 2026 Health Estate Journal 5
this issue we have two articles looking at its impact. On p52, Richard Burgin, assistant director of securing the future at AGH Solutions – a wholly owned subsidiary of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust – discusses the RAAC management programme at Airedale General Hospital and the challenges involved in dealing with RAAC while maintaining a fully operational healthcare environment. Meanwhile, at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool, Kasia Pekala, project manager – Major Capital Projects Team at NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, tells us on p70 how – in a masterclass in fast-tracked healthcare engineering – the £15m Ward 6 Ventilation Inpatient Centre (VIC) project transformed the high-risk structural challenge posed by RAAC into a high-quality clinical facility; completely reimagining the estate. After 20 years, this year sees the publication of the
revised HTM 02-01 on medical gas pipeline systems. On p63, the authors of the updated guidance – Authorising Engineer (MGPS) Rob McCrea and Authorising Engineer (MGPS) Richard Maycock, chair of the IHEEM Medical Gas Technical Platform – discuss in detail the principal changes to both Parts A and B, and what they mean for estates teams. Whatever your field of expertise, I hope you find something of interest within these pages.
Advertising feature
Matt Seex Editor mattseex@
stepcomms.com
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