Below are this week’s key messages from the national NHS Estates Team. Please email any questions or comments you have on any of these items to [email protected] or follow the links where provided.
A message from Simon Corben: COVID-19
The latest data indicates that the peak in terms of new COVID-19 infections may now be starting to pass. This is being reflected in the number of confirmed infections and the R number in some areas. This is welcome.
However, the pressure on our hospitals, in particular the number of inpatients receiving care for COVID-19, and consequently estates and facilities services, remains high.
As a profession, we will continue to play a key role in both responding to the pandemic as well as managing the ‘business as usual’ activities associated with the NHS estate.
I would also like to remind estates directors and their leads to assure themselves that all their staff - including porters, ancillary staff, and agency and contract workers - are following national infection prevention control guidance from Public Health England. My thanks to you and your teams for all that you continue to do in maintaining estates and facilities services in the current climate and supporting patient care. Please stay safe and I look forward to meeting up with you in person in due course.
NHS England and NHS Improvement Estates Forum
This will take place on March 16 as an online forum via IHEEM’s platform. The agenda will be finalised in the near future and will include discussions on the estates workforce, net zero carbon, New Hospitals Programme, disposals, next generation estates strategies and delivering the Long Term Plan through primary care.
Confirmed speakers include Simon Corben, Fiona Daly, Adrian Eggleton and Craig McWilliam. Both Edward Argar, Minister of State for Health and Prerana Issar, Chief People Officer at NHS England and NHS Improvement will also be speaking.
Invitations to the Forum will be issued in the near future. In the meantime, please note the date in your diaries and look out for the invitation to register.
Operational Pressures
We continue to see operational pressures in the areas of waste management, oxygen services and scrubs. Please visit the Collaboration Hub for the key messages which have been posted recently on these issues and note the urgent actions which are required.
NHS England and NHS Improvement National Estates Team: Collaboration Hub
The Collaboration Hub is a protected space for local NHS estates teams to access key information as well as to collaborate and to share ideas and successes. Access to the Collaboration Hub for individuals from local NHS estates teams can be arranged by e-mailing [email protected]
