Ensuring best practice and high standards are maintained in healthcare

Abstract

In the context of the ever increasing global need to meet ‘triple bottom line’ economic, social and environmental goals—and in the UK, assist the NHS and wider healthcare sector in cutting energy costs and carbon emissions—the Insitute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management (IHEEM) is pleased to see how three major trusts are using innovation, partnerships and effective stakeholder relations to meet these objectives. It is clear from the three articles in this edition of the journal that these trusts are acting as pathfinders in not only using, for example, combined heat and power, photovoltaics and LED lighting to meet their targets, but also to engage with their patients and local communities to maximise savings and efficiencies. At a conference held in early October by the International Federation of Hospital Engineers in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Barts Health and GE—both of which are affiliates of IHEEM—gave an outstanding presentation on ‘Operation TLC’. They outlined how it gained the confidence of patients and the local community and delivered behavioural change by relatively straightforward campaigns to turn lights out and close doors. This presentation was particularly appreciated by delegates from developing countries who can now apply similar programmes locally. Through its branches, technical platforms, conferences and the Health Estate Journal, IHEEM is planning a comprehensive programme of events in 2015 that will allow these innovative practices to be debated, and hopefully adopted, more widely. The introduction of building information models into the healthcare sector is also a key theme for 2015, as this is seen to offer major advantages in designing and operating energy efficient healthcare estates for the future. To ensure that best practice and high standards are maintained in the healthcare sector, IHEEM is working with the Department of Health to update current technical guidance and develop new guidance. The Institute is seeking assistance from across the Healthcare sector—including industry and academia—and will be announcing further details of the programme in early 2015. The articles in this issue provide excellent examples of good practice being used in the UK, and IHEEM is committed to bringing knowledge of these innovations to the widest possible audience. BJHCM