WA

WA BRANCH REPORT

Western Australians have enjoyed a Pre COVID-19 lifestyle for some time now, however the greatest challenge for the IHEA WA branch today is finding venues who will welcome the presence of our members. COVID-19 in WA has left an atmosphere of caution and rightly so. With the softening of our hard border on November 14th and depending on what happens, we could see a return to a more restricted existence, a path we have no desire to travel again. The IHEA WA have been fortunate in finding a local sporting association, the Melville Palmyra Tennis Club, who have generously opened their club house to us to host our meetings. The IHEA WA Committee of Management thanks them for their generosity..

We began a rebuild and reconnect program in August and since then have held several face to face branch meetings. In September, the IHEA hosted a webinar featuring the renowned Dr Norman Swan that took the place of our normal branch meeting. To many of us, Dr Swan will be a familiar voice on our media channels as a presenter for the ABC podcast “Coronacast”, a producer and presenter of the Health Report and as a multi awardwinning producer and broadcaster. He joined a panel of IHEA representatives and together they delivered a presentation on COVID-19 and the Healthcare Facilities’ management of the situation. In October, we returned to our favoured face to face branch meeting format. We welcomed Mr Steven Delides from Ecosafe International for a presentation on Microbial Water Quality Analysers, Water quality management techniques and the typical challenges faced.

He spoke about methods of complying to the Australian New Zealand Standard 3666.3 (Air-handling and water systems of buildings – Microbial control Performancebased maintenance of cooling water systems) and the risks of not utilising the latest technologies to ensure a facility is best equipped with processes to detect and thus prevent the spread of Legionella.

The meeting was well attended, however due to COVID-19 distancing and my poor photography skills, the photograph does not illustrate just how many were present.

The underlying theme of the presentation was another indication of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming more and more intertwined in the lives of Healthcare Facility Managers. As always, the presentation generated a good debate about the favoured remedial action of flushing verses the conservation of our precious water resources. Having smarter monitoring and detection devices could lead to less water being flushed down the drain.

This presentation could easily have fitted into the theme of the postponed 2020 National Conference – ‘21st Century Healthcare Engineering”.

Whilst our national conference in 2021 will be the go to event of 2021, the IHEA WA Committee decided we had to do something in 2020. This year, in November, the IHEA WA branch is holding a ‘Three-in-One’ branch meeting.

The theme is “Rebuilding WA Healthcare Connections “.

One, we will be hosting a mini conference and professional development session with presentations from industry experts on a variety of subject matters. Trade sponsors will setup stands displaying their goods and services.

Two, we will be hosting our annual sundowner networking get together with a barbecue and barefoot night tennis, and, Three, we will be hosting our annual award evening where the IHEA WA recognises those who have contributed to the Western Australian Healthcare Facility Management during 2020.

With our hard border softening on November 14th , if any of our fellow Eastern States IHEA members find themselves in WA on November 27th, you are most welcome to attend our mini conference. Just drop us a line to ihea. wa@ihea.org.au before November 20th and we will send you the details.

The end of 2020 is approaching fast, the IHEA WA Committee of Management wishes everyone a safe and healthy festive season and a brighter 2021.

Stay safe and healthy everyone.

Fred Foley – President, WA Branch

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