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LAKESIDE LEADERSHIP

The North West Facilities Management Training Advisory Group (TAG) continues to enjoy success by organising events to meet the training needs of Facilities staff.

THE CHALLENGE FOR FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
IN THE 21st CENTURY

In October 1998, the Facilities TAG organised a successful weekend school for Senior Facilities Managers at Low Wood Hotel, Windermere, which was addressed by Ken Jarrold, Chief Executive of County Durham Health Authority. Ken outlined his vision for the provision of health care in the future and focused on social change and its implications for the NHS, together with financial pressures, policy, service and structural change.

The event was also attended by Peter Wearmouth, NHS Estates Director of Policy and Performance, and Rob Thompson, Head of NHS Estates Development, each of whom gave presentations focused upon the future of NHS Estates, and the support it can offer to Facilities Managers in helping them respond to the changing health care environment.

The main function of the weekend school was to encourage the delegates to identify the main challenges to be addressed by Facilities Managers in the next decade. The delegates were asked to identify the 10 top issues which they considered important, the reasons why these issues should be addressed and how it should be done.

The 10 top issues identified were:-

• Training and developing staff
• Raising the profile of Facilities Management
• Benchmarking
• Improved environmental management
• Value for money
• Strategic planning
• Developing effective partnerships
• Future arrangements for funding capital developments
• Implications of corporate governance upon the NHS
• Improving standards of customer care.

There was consensus amongst the delegates upon both the future role of Facilities Management and how it's effectiveness could be improved. The delegates shared a common view that in the new Millennium, Facilities Managers must be flexible, responsive to change and provide visionary leadership.

There was a common belief that Facilities Management had an important role to play in the new health service, but that raising the profile of support services would be a challenge for even the most energetic Facilities Manager.

On Saturday, 17 October, a programme of leisurely outdoor pursuits was held, which included an element of competition between the three groups of delegates.

The Winning Team
(From left to right)
Chris Simms, Ron Stone, Geoff Callan,
Howard Jackson and Trevor Jones.

Following the conference, a 72 page document entitled

“Focus on the Future”

was published which examined future trends in health care and the implications for Facilities Management Copies of this publication are available from Anne Wilkinson at £50.00 per copy.
Web editors note. This document is no longer available.

FUTURE CONFERENCE:

A NEW AGENDA FOR HEALTH AND THE
IMPLICATIONS FOR FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Friday, 9 June 2000

Broughton Suite, Preston Marriott
Hotel, Garstang Road, Broughton
Preston, Lancashire

Itinerary and Review