Healthcare Facilities Fire Risk Assessment
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Healthcare Facilities Fire Risk Assessment — Quick Facts
- Property: Hospitals, GP practices, clinics, medical centres, dental practices, healthcare premises
- Service: Compare up to 3 quotes
- Indicative price: Smaller facilities start from £350
- Key issues: Dependent patients, medical gases, progressive horizontal evacuation, PEEPs, business continuity
- England & Wales: The Fire Safety Order applies to all healthcare premises
- Scotland: Separate fire safety legislation applies
Do Healthcare Facilities Need a Fire Risk Assessment?
Yes. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to all non-domestic premises in England and Wales, including hospitals, GP practices, clinics, medical centres, dental practices and other healthcare premises[reference:0][reference:1]. The responsible person must ensure fire safety risks are properly assessed and managed.
For NHS premises, the Health Technical Memorandum 05 series (Firecode) provides comprehensive guidance[reference:2]. HTM 05-01 (Managing Healthcare Fire Safety) sets out recommendations for the effective management of fire safety in healthcare buildings[reference:3]. HTM 05-03 Part K specifically provides guidance on fire risk assessments in complex healthcare premises[reference:4].
Healthcare facilities have some of the most complex fire risk profiles of any premises: dependent patients who may not be able to evacuate independently[reference:5], progressive horizontal evacuation strategies[reference:6], medical gases including oxygen[reference:7], and the critical need for business continuity to maintain patient care[reference:8]. A tailored fire risk assessment is essential.
Since October 2023, the Building Safety Act 2022 (Section 156) requires all fire risk assessments to be recorded in writing, regardless of business size[reference:9].
Who Is Responsible for Fire Safety in a Healthcare Facility?
The responsible person is typically the employer, owner, occupier, manager or person who has control of the premises[reference:11]. For NHS premises, this includes Trust boards and Chief Executives. The responsible person may be an individual or an organisation (e.g., a limited company) who then appoints duty holders to carry out fire safety duties[reference:12].
For complex organisations such as acute trusts and mental health trusts, the full HTM 05-01 guidance should be applied. For smaller or non-complex organisations – such as GP practices, primary care centres, or community-based facilities – it may not be necessary to adopt every role or process described in full, but the relevant concepts should be implemented at an appropriate scale[reference:13].
What Does a Healthcare Facilities Fire Risk Assessment Cover?
A fire risk assessment for a healthcare facility examines the premises, activities, people at risk, and fire precautions — with a focus on patient safety, evacuation strategies, and business continuity.
- Means of escape: routes, exits, signage and accessibility (including for patients with mobility needs)
- Fire doors: condition and suitability, especially between patient areas and corridors
- Compartmentation: walls, floors and fire-resisting construction – sub-compartmentation is often used in healthcare[reference:14]
- Detection and warning: fire alarm systems (visual alarms for hearing-impaired patients and staff)
- Emergency lighting: essential for escape routes and patient areas
- Firefighting equipment: extinguishers, fire blankets and their location
- Medical gases: oxygen and nitrous oxide storage, piped supplies and cylinder management[reference:15]
- Electrical risks: medical equipment, portable appliances, and fixed installations
- Heating and ventilation: boilers, HVAC systems and heat-producing equipment
- Dependent patients: very high dependency, dependent, and patients with dementia who need close supervision during a fire emergency[reference:16]
- PEEPs: Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for patients and staff with disabilities
- Progressive horizontal evacuation: moving patients away from fire, room by room, ward by ward[reference:17]
- Business continuity: maintaining patient care during and after a fire[reference:18]
- Arson prevention: recent studies indicate 25% of fires in healthcare premises are deliberately set[reference:19]
- Management: training, fire drills, maintenance schedules, and emergency plans
Healthcare Facilities Fire Risk Assessment Costs
Healthcare facilities fire risk assessment costs vary depending on the size, complexity and type of facility.
As a guide, smaller premises such as GP practices, dental practices, or community clinics may start from around £350. Larger or complex premises such as hospitals or multi-site healthcare organisations may cost more.
FireRiskQuote allows you to compare up to three quotes from fire risk assessors, helping you compare both price and what is included.
How to Choose a Healthcare Facilities Fire Risk Assessor
Experience with healthcare premises and an understanding of the specific risks is essential when choosing an assessor.
Healthcare Experience
Choose an assessor who understands healthcare premises, patient evacuation, medical gases, and progressive horizontal evacuation strategies.
Qualifications
Look for relevant fire safety qualifications and professional registration (e.g., IFE, IFSM). For NHS premises, the Authorised Person (Fire) role covers fire risk assessment specialisms[reference:20].
Insurance
Ensure appropriate professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Compare Quotes
Look beyond the headline price — compare what each quotation includes.
Information to Give a Healthcare Facilities Fire Risk Assessor
- Property address and postcode
- Type of healthcare facility (hospital, GP practice, clinic, etc.)
- Number of storeys and floor area
- Number of patients and staff
- Types of patients (very high dependency, dependent, independent)[reference:21]
- Medical gases in use (oxygen, nitrous oxide, etc.)
- Specialist areas (operating theatres, laboratories, etc.)
- Age and construction type where known
- Fire alarm and detection details
- Fire door and compartmentation information
- Previous fire risk assessment
- Enforcement notices or outstanding actions
- Recent alterations, extensions or changes of use
How a Healthcare Facilities Fire Risk Assessment Works
1. Tell Us About Your Facility
Provide location, size, patient numbers and relevant details.
2. Compare Up to 3 Quotes
Receive quotations from assessors in our network.
3. Choose Your Assessor
Consider competence, experience, scope and price.
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Healthcare Facilities Fire Risk Assessment FAQs
Do healthcare facilities need a fire risk assessment?
Yes. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to all non-domestic premises in England and Wales, including hospitals, GP practices, clinics, medical centres and other healthcare premises. The responsible person must ensure a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is carried out. Since October 2023, all fire risk assessments must be recorded in writing.
Who is responsible for fire safety in a healthcare facility?
The responsible person is typically the employer, owner, occupier, manager or person who has control of the premises. For NHS premises, this includes Trust boards and Chief Executives. The responsible person may be an individual or an organisation (e.g., a limited company) who then appoints duty holders to carry out fire safety duties.
How much does a healthcare facilities fire risk assessment cost?
Costs vary depending on the size, complexity and type of healthcare facility. As a guide, smaller premises such as GP practices may start from around £350. Larger or complex premises such as hospitals may cost more.
What does a healthcare facilities fire risk assessment include?
It covers means of escape, fire doors, compartmentation, detection and warning (including visual alarms for hearing-impaired), emergency lighting, firefighting equipment, medical gases, electrical and heating risks, dependent patients and PEEPs, progressive horizontal evacuation strategies, and management arrangements.
What guidance applies to healthcare fire risk assessments?
The Government has published specific guidance for healthcare premises under Article 50 of the Fire Safety Order. For NHS premises, Health Technical Memoranda (HTM 05 series – Firecode) provide comprehensive guidance, including HTM 05-01 (Managing Healthcare Fire Safety), HTM 05-02 (Design), and HTM 05-03 (Operational Provisions, including Part K on fire risk assessments in complex healthcare premises).
What is progressive horizontal evacuation?
Progressive horizontal evacuation is the usual methodology for evacuation in healthcare premises[reference:22]. Patients are moved away from the fire horizontally, room by room and ward by ward, into a safe area within the same floor, rather than being evacuated vertically down stairs. This is because many patients cannot be safely evacuated down stairs and may require assistance or specialist equipment.
What are PEEPs?
PEEPs (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans) are individual plans for patients and staff who may need assistance to evacuate safely in the event of a fire. They should be developed for anyone with mobility or sensory impairments, or other conditions that may affect their ability to evacuate independently.
Can I compare more than one healthcare facilities fire risk assessment quote?
Yes. FireRiskQuote helps you submit your requirements and compare up to three quotes from assessors in the network, with no obligation.
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Request Healthcare QuotesDisclaimer: This page provides general guidance and is not fire safety, legal or professional advice. Check current legislation and consult a competent fire risk assessor where appropriate. For detailed guidance, refer to Fire safety risk assessment: healthcare premises published by the Home Office, and the NHS England HTM 05-01: Managing Healthcare Fire Safety.