Getting it right from concept to handover and beyond: how to protect the most vulnerable patients from waterborne infections.
Introducing the new NHS Estates technical Bulletin NETB 2024/3 designing safe spaces for patients at high risk of infection from nontuberculous mycobacteria and other waterborne pathogens
13:00 - 14:00, Wednesday 13 November 2024
Speaker: Dr Susanne Surman-Lee
Chair: Dr George McCracken
The range of waterborne pathogens and infections associated with water and wastewater related to newly built healthcare premises has been increasing over recent years with some major failures hitting the headlines associated with unsafe new hospital premises. A lack of training and understanding of the risks associated with water and wastewater systems in healthcare of all involved, from the concept stage to handover and beyond, can result in design briefs being prepared without appropriate stakeholder engagement, appropriate risk assessment, and competence throughout all stages of the design and construction to handover. Without essential input from the client organisation, tender specifications could be incomplete, resulting in the delivery of healthcare buildings which are not safe for the intended user group.
The NHS Estates new Technical Bulletin NETB 2024/3 “Designing safe spaces for patients at high risk of infection from nontuberculous mycobacteria and other waterborne pathogens” was published on the 27th of August 2024 following the deaths of lung transplant patients in a new hospital transplant unit. It aims to change the culture of healthcare organisations preparing to instigate new capital projects to ensure patient safety remains the primary goal of any new healthcare premises. This webinar will give and overview of the new technical bulletin which supplements the existing NHS technical memoranda HTM 04:01 and how patient safety will be taken into account throughout all stages from concept to handover.
This webinar will be of use to infection control practitioners with an interest in the built environment, including healthcare estates and risk teams, healthcare providers, CEOs and Boards of Health care premises intending to instigate new projects, architects, design and value engineers, Foundation Trust Governors, procurement teams, contractors and subcontractors involved in delivering water and wastewater systems.
Dr Susanne Surman-Lee, Director, Leegionella Ltd.
Dr Surman-Lee is a Consultant Clinical Scientist Registered with the UK Health Professions Council with >40y experience in clinical and public health microbiology and practical experience of auditing and investigating over 60 healthcare and non-healthcare premises following incidents, cases and/or outbreaks of water systems and associated equipment nationally and internationally, including from Legionella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, NTM. She has also worked as a temporary advisor on water hygiene in healthcare for WHO in the Middle East and was a Member of the WHO working and editorial groups which published Legionella and the prevention of legionellosis (2007) and Water Safety in Buildings (2011). Susanne has also for over 20 years had input into national and international standards and guidance on water hygiene including for the Health and Safety Executive and Department of Health as well as chairing committees developing key British Standards Institute Water Hygiene Standards which are supporting the UK to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 6), Clean water and sanitation. Susanne was also the lead technical author of the new NHS Estates NETB 2024/3 Designing safe spaces for patients at high risk of infection from nontuberculous mycobacteria and other waterborne pathogens
George McCracken, Head of Estates Risk and Environment, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
George McCracken joined the Health Service in 1993 as a Hospital Engineer in Northern Ireland. In 2002 he moved to the Royal Group of Hospitals, Belfast, as a Senior Engineer and in November 2007, George took up post as Head of Estates Risk and Environment in the new Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, which is one of the largest Hospital Trusts in the UK. He holds a 1st Class Honours Degree in Construction Engineering & Management, is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Building and an associate member of Institute of Healthcare Engineering & Estate Management. Currently George leads a Risk Team that has, and continues to provide, a unique and innovative approach to the management of risk within an Estates Healthcare Environment. He also leads the Estates Environmental Team, which has been at the forefront of developing technologies promoting sustainability in healthcare.