Fire Safety, Security and Electrical Services for Healthcare Premises in Hampshire and West Sussex
Healthcare premises - whether an NHS trust site, a private hospital, a dental surgery or a GP practice - combine the vulnerabilities of premises where patients may have limited mobility or be undergoing treatment with stringent compliance frameworks and the operational demands of clinical environments. Fire safety, security and electrical compliance must all be managed carefully, and must be delivered in a way that causes minimal disruption to patient care.
We provide fire safety, security and electrical services for healthcare premises across Hampshire and West Sussex - fire alarms, fire risk assessments, access control for medication storage and restricted areas, CCTV, EICR, PAT testing and passive fire protection, all managed through a single point of contact with experience of working in live clinical environments.
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BAFE SP203-accredited fire alarm installation and maintenance for healthcare premises
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Fire risk assessments for all healthcare building types
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Emergency lighting to BS 5266-1
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Access control for medication storage, restricted areas and staff-only zones
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CCTV - safeguarding-compliant, designed for healthcare environments
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NICEIC-approved EICR inspections for clinical and non-clinical electrical installations
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PAT testing for all healthcare electrical equipment - clinical and non-clinical
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Passive fire protection through Aran Fire Protection - FIRAS-certified
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Works scheduled around clinical operations to minimise patient disruption
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Fire Safety for Healthcare Premises
Healthcare premises are subject to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in the same way as other commercial buildings. However, the technical guidance that applies - including NHS Firecode and Health Technical Memoranda for NHS premises - is more detailed and demanding than for general commercial use, reflecting the specific risks of healthcare environments. For non-NHS private healthcare premises, the fire risk assessment will determine the appropriate fire safety measures, taking into account the clinical activities carried out, the patient profile and the evacuation strategy.
Healthcare premises typically require a high category of automatic fire detection. Where patients may be unable to self-evacuate - in wards, treatment areas and recovery rooms - early detection throughout all areas of the building is essential, and the fire alarm system must be integrated with the healthcare facility's evacuation strategy. Addressable fire alarm systems are commonly specified for healthcare premises, as they allow precise identification of the location of a fire or fault, enabling staff to respond quickly and appropriately without triggering unnecessary evacuation of the entire building.
We provide BAFE SP203-accredited fire alarm installation and six-monthly maintenance for healthcare premises of all sizes - from a single-practice dental surgery to a multi-building private hospital site.
See our Fire Alarms page for full details on fire alarm systems →
All healthcare premises require a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. For healthcare environments, the fire risk assessment must specifically address the clinical risk profile of the premises - the mobility and cognitive capacity of patients, the evacuation strategy for those who cannot self-evacuate, the management of clinical waste and flammable substances, and the interface between fire safety and clinical operations.
Emergency lighting in healthcare premises must ensure that escape routes remain illuminated and that clinical activity can continue safely in the event of a mains power failure. Systems must be designed to BS 5266-1 and tested monthly, with a full inspection and test by a competent engineer every six months. For healthcare premises, the emergency lighting strategy must take into account the layout of the building, the location of patient areas and the specific needs of a 24-hour operational environment.
Security Systems for Healthcare Premises
Security in healthcare premises must balance open, welcoming patient access with strict control of restricted areas - medication storage, clinical equipment, records rooms and staff-only corridors. Getting this balance wrong in either direction has consequences: overly restrictive access frustrates patients and staff, while inadequate control of restricted areas creates serious safety and regulatory risks. Our SSAIB-certified security installations are designed with healthcare operational requirements at the centre.
Access control is arguably the most critical security measure in any healthcare premises. Controlled drugs storage must be secured to Home Office standards. Clinical equipment rooms, records stores and staff-only corridors all require managed access. At the same time, patient-facing areas must remain accessible and welcoming. We design and install access control systems for healthcare premises that address all of these requirements - with options for key fob, proximity card, PIN and biometric access tailored to the risk level and operational requirements of each area.
CCTV coverage of reception areas, waiting rooms, external entrances and car parks provides an effective deterrent to opportunist theft and supports staff safety in environments where lone working or challenging patient behaviour may occur. For NHS premises, CCTV installation must comply with NHS governance requirements and relevant data protection obligations. We design and install CCTV systems for healthcare premises that meet both the security and governance requirements of the sector, with systems configured to avoid coverage of areas where patients have a reasonable expectation of privacy.
Healthcare premises that hold pharmaceutical stock, medical equipment or cash are at risk from targeted theft, particularly during out-of-hours periods. An SSAIB-certified intruder alarm system covering pharmacy areas, equipment stores and site entrances provides rapid notification of any unauthorised entry and deters opportunist crime. We install intruder alarm systems for healthcare premises with monitoring and keyholding options available.
Electrical Compliance for Healthcare Premises
Healthcare premises use a higher-than-average volume and variety of electrical equipment, including clinical devices that may be in continuous use. Ensuring that the electrical installation and all electrical equipment is safe and compliant is both a legal obligation and a critical patient safety requirement. For NHS premises, electrical compliance must also align with the requirements of Health Technical Memoranda covering electrical services.
All healthcare premises are required to maintain their electrical installation under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. For NHS premises, Health Technical Memoranda guidance specifies inspection intervals for different types of electrical installation. For private healthcare premises, the EICR interval is typically determined by the nature of the clinical activities carried out and the intensity of electrical use. We carry out EICR inspections for healthcare premises across Hampshire and West Sussex, with NICEIC-approved engineers, full certification on completion and remedial works capability where defects are identified.
See our EICR page for full details on periodic electrical inspection →
The volume and intensity of use of electrical equipment in healthcare premises makes a regular PAT testing programme essential. All portable electrical appliances - from office IT and kitchen equipment to non-clinical portable devices - must be included in the PAT testing programme. For clinical devices specifically, the frequency of testing should reflect the risk of failure and the consequence of that failure in a clinical setting, and may be governed by medical device management policies in addition to general health and safety requirements. We provide PAT testing for all non-clinical electrical equipment in healthcare premises across Hampshire and West Sussex.
Passive Fire Protection for Healthcare Premises
Passive fire protection is a requirement in all healthcare premises under Building Regulations and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. For NHS premises, the requirements are further defined by NHS Firecode, which specifies detailed standards for fire compartmentation, fire doors and fire stopping in clinical buildings. Older NHS buildings in particular often have accumulated compartmentation breaches from decades of services maintenance and clinical reconfiguration, and addressing these deficiencies is a priority action in many NHS fire risk assessment reports.
Fire doors are particularly important in healthcare environments where progressive horizontal evacuation is the standard strategy. Fire doors must be maintained in good condition and must self-close correctly to provide the rated period of protection. Regularly held-open fire doors are a common finding in healthcare premises and represent a significant risk both to the evacuation strategy and to fire safety compliance.
Passive fire protection works are delivered through our specialist sister company, Aran Fire Protection - FIRAS-certified passive fire protection specialists with over 25 years of experience. Arundel Firecare, Security and Electrical remains your single point of contact.
See our Passive Fire Protection Hub for our full range of passive fire services →
See our Fire Door Surveys page for fire door inspection programmes →
Frequently Asked Questions
Private clinics, dental surgeries and GP practices are subject to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and must have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment in place. The fire risk assessment will determine the appropriate fire detection, emergency lighting, means of escape and fire-fighting equipment for the premises. Contact us to arrange a fire risk assessment and we will advise on the specific requirements for your healthcare premises.
Yes. Controlled drugs storage must meet the requirements of the Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1973 and subsequent amendments, which specify minimum standards for the security of controlled drug cabinets and rooms. Access control for areas containing Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs must be appropriate to the classification of drugs stored. We design access control systems for healthcare premises with awareness of these requirements - contact us to discuss your specific needs.
Yes. We have experience of working in live clinical environments and understand the operational constraints of healthcare premises. We schedule works around clinical activity, work in sections to avoid disrupting patient areas and liaise with facilities management teams to ensure that all works are planned and communicated in advance. For fire alarm works that require temporary system isolation, we follow agreed procedures and provide suitable interim measures throughout.
Fire Safety, Security and Electrical Services for Healthcare in Hampshire and West Sussex
Fire safety, security and electrical compliance for NHS premises, private hospitals, dental surgeries and GP practices across Hampshire and West Sussex.
From Our Knowledge Centre
Our fire safety team has written extensively on compliance obligations, system types and sector-specific requirements. Visit our Knowledge Centre for articles, guides and PDF downloads covering fire alarms, fire extinguishers, fire risk assessments and more.
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