sponsored by HEALTH SECTOR NEWS
Doing the right thing – ‘even when no-one is looking’
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has launched in-depth research to measure how well the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) sector is adapting to the new building safety regime. Being undertaken in partnership with construction analysts, Barbour ABI, the research ‘comes at a critical time’, with the government having stripped the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) of responsibility of enforcing the Building Safety Act. BESA explains that ‘extensive planning delays and a shortage of qualified assessors’ led to the creation of a new ‘fast-track process’ under the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government headed by two former senior fire chiefs.
BESA says these developments
and its research ‘follow further traumatic revelations in a new Netflix documentary about the Grenfell Tower disaster which led to the creation of the Act’, Grenfell: Uncovered. The campaigning journalist, Peter Apps, a major contributor to the documentary, was BESA’s guest on its latest ‘Behind
adopting the requirements of the legislation,” said BESA’s director of specialist knowledge, Rachel Davidson. “Levels of awareness and understanding of the Act have improved in the past 12 months, but it is a far from consistent picture. “We are seeing very big variations
by role and type of organisation. Those with greater understanding, particularly of individual competence and organisational capability, are more likely to have taken steps to comply with the Act,” she added. The research also includes questions
the Built Environment’ podcast. This second annual building safety
survey by BESA is aimed at companies of all sizes from across the building engineering spectrum to assess levels of awareness and understanding of legal responsibilities, and the implications for individual competence and organisational capability. The Association said the findings
would ‘help shape practical support, clear guidance, and targeted interventions, to drive industry-wide improvement’. “We want to find out what is preventing organisations from
requested by Jon Vanstone, Chair of the Industry Competence Committee (ICC), which advises the Building Safety Regulator. He said: “BESA’s research comes at
an important time because pressure is building to get more projects through planning gateways. However, this also raises the stakes around competence and compliance, because the industry will still need to meet rigorous safety standards as workloads increase. Building Safety Minister, Alex Norris (pictured), said: “We’re enhancing operations while keeping safety front and centre.”
Alnwick Hospital boosts theatre capacity
with full electrical infrastructure upgrade stage of the project, Bender UK’s team worked closely with the Estates consultant and Opus Building Services to produce detailed technical documentation and site plans, and provided support in mapping out plant space within the theatre environment.
Facing increased surgical demand, and having initially planned only a cosmetic refresh of its operating theatre, Alnwick Hospital in Northumberland
consulted with Bender UK, and it became clear that the theatre’s underlying electrical infrastructure was ‘dangerously outdated and non-compliant with modern HTM standards’. A strategic decision was made to fully modernise the theatre ‘to match the standards of the wider NHS Trust and support clinical continuity during upcoming works elsewhere’. The hospital’s main theatre was
operating with equipment that was over 30 years’ old. Initially, the hospital – managed by the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust – had allocated a modest budget for a light refurbishment to refresh
the theatre’s look and feel. However, following an on-site survey by Bender UK, it was identified that the existing systems no longer aligned with current compliance standards. A full upgrade was recommended to ensure continued safety and operational consistency. Bender says that given the funding
constraints, ‘the challenge was demonstrating the strategic need for a more extensive upgrade’. This included helping the Trust’s clinical and Estates teams put forward a compelling case to secure Board-level investment. Supporting the Trust from the earliest
26 Health Estate Journal September 2025
The surgical theatres at Alnwick Hospital now include: n IPS and UPS systems. n A CP924 touchscreen alarm and monitoring system.
n A 43in PACS panel. n 2x 24 in PACS panels. n Medical pendants. n Surgical operating lights.
The project had to be completed within tight timelines to avoid disruption to patient services. A key complexity was fitting modern equipment into an existing footprint without extending the building.
£1.3m Ingol Healthcare Centre refurbishment completed
NHS Property Services and NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB have opened the modernised £1.3 m Ingol Healthcare Centre in Preston after several years of work, with the help of Section 106 agreements. The project received over £1.3 m in investment, with over £500,000 coming from developer contributions secured through the planning process at Preston City Council, and £730,000 from NHS Property Services (NHSPS). £240,000 was specifically allocated to energy improvements through NHSPS. The improved facilities are expected to service approximately an additional 35,000 patients. and a total of 5,300 new homes in North West Preston. In addition to a full refurbishment of existing clinical rooms, the project has added seven new clinical rooms to increase capacity for GP services and convert the site into a Net Zero facility. NHSPS says the refurbishment ‘transformed underutilised areas into high-impact clinical environments’. The facility features new cavity wall and loft insulation, a move to electric heating, and energy-efficient upgrades such as LED lighting, double-glazed windows, and solar PV panels.
Ben Gammer, NHSPS Estate
Strategy lead, said: “This project is a standout example of how smart space optimisation can directly support the goals of the NHS’s 10 Year Health Plan. By transforming underutilised
areas into high-impact clinical environments, we’re not only increasing capacity, but also reinforcing our commitment to delivering accessible, quality care in every neighbourhood. It’s a testament to what can be achieved through strategic partnerships and sustainable design.”
Medical Architecture
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported
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 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132
