The pro·manchester Healthcare Steering Group is pleased to announce they are sponsoring the Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estates Management (IHEEM) annual conference this November.

IHEEM is the UK’s largest specialist Institute for the Healthcare Estates Sector. The IHEEM Annual Conference is a one-stop shop where people in the industry can find the ideas, answers, and policy information needed to survive in the highly target driven marketplace of healthcare facilities and estates management.

David Potter, Chair of the pro·manchester Healthcare Steering Group and Director of RBS Corporate Banking, said: "Sponsoring the Conference is a valuable way of demonstrating support for business in Manchester and the North West.

 “Whilst there is already engagement between Healthcare estates managers and the professional community in Manchester, estates managers are coming under increased pressure to maximise the efficient use of properties as a result of the cost focus in the NHS.  Schemes to improve energy efficiency, consolidate site use and utilise redundant buildings, all feature and there is a strong belief that the private sector can bring skills and experience to that process.  The challenge is to bring the public and private together and professionals who specialise in healthcare are ideally placed to act as the conduits in bridging that gap.The IHEEM conference provides an excellent platform for this.”


Funding for the sponsorship has come from six of the pro·manchester Healthcare Steering Group members; Poole Dick Associates, GVA, DWF, Addleshaw Goddard, Aedas Architects and RBS.

Katharine Mellor, Head of DWF’s Healthcare Sector and pro·manchester  board member said “The NHS is going through a period of radical change and it is vital their estates are used in a way that provides best value for patients and taxpayers. This conference will help determine the direction of estates provision and these vast assets can be utilised to bolster the health service”

The pro·manchester Healthcare Steering Group was formed to help create a network of like-minded professionals who have a strong interest and business dealings in the Healthcare sector.  Members of the group include bankers, accountants, lawyers, property agents, insurance brokers, architects and surveyors. 

Saurabh Bhandari, Associate Director, Aedas Architects comments: “Our members bring together a diverse skill set from finance, governance, architecture and estates that can assist NHS stakeholders, to get through the efficiency measures and funding constraints while delivering efficient services. We look forward to sharing our experiences and outlooks with the organisations attending this event.”

The pro·manchester Healthcare Steering Group holds a strong belief that the private sector can bring innovation and ideas to the table as the NHS seeks to maximise the use of its estates.The group are actively seeking opportunities to engage with both public and private estates users and managers, to firstly understand the issues faced by the estates managers, and then to explore ways of solving them.

The groups aim is to be the trusted advisors for organisations who have to take on the fresh responsibilities in the new NHS era, and are keen to support them in the North of England and beyond.