Institution calls on party manifestos to tackle transport emissions, bed blocking, energy security & skills

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers launches 2017 Manifesto

Political parties should draw on the expertise of engineers to tackle key issues such as transport emissions, bed blocking, energy security and recycling while ensuring that the nation’s future demand for skills’ is met, according to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Manifesto 2017.

The Manifesto outlines 19 recommendations covering the areas of education, skills, energy, environment, healthcare, manufacturing and transport. The recommendations include a call for action to retrofit vehicles with technology to clean the UK transport system, to introduce a remote health monitoring network to allow patients to be safely discharged from hospitals sooner and for the need to make arrangements with the EU on how to ensure continuity for the medical technology (Med Tech) and nuclear sectors after Brexit. The Manifesto also calls for the need to establish a broader school curriculum to age 18 encourage more people to enter professions that are critical to the UK economy such as engineering.

Dr Colin Brown, Director of Engineering at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said:
“Engineers hold the key to solving many of the critical problems affecting society ― from transport emissions to bed blocking. 

“We are proposing plans to retrofit vehicles to tackle emissions dangerous to human health, a new remote health monitoring network to allow patients to be safely discharged from hospitals sooner and plans to ensure continuity for the Med Tech and nuclear sectors after Brexit. 

“As a way of addressing the UK’s growing ageing population, we are also proposing that NHS land earmarked for sale is used to build ‘cognitive home’ communities for the over 65s. This would provide cost effective living for the elderly close to NHS facilities.

“In a bid to encourage more people to enter professions that are key to the UK’s economic future, such as engineering, we are calling on a greater emphasis on paid work experience as part of rejuvenated quality careers provision, continuing apprenticeship reform and the need to establish a broader curriculum to age 18.

“Our Manifesto provides practical, workable solutions and we invite political parties to work with us in making these positive changes happen.”

To read the full list of recommendations visit: Manifesto 2017