Medway NHS Foundation Trust has introduced a digital fire safety management system designed to improve risk assessment, regulatory compliance and investment planning across Medway Maritime Hospital in Kent.
Developed by BIS Consult, the system brings together fire safety information from multiple sources, providing the Trust’s Fire Safety Group with a centralised platform for analysing risks and identifying priorities.
The Trust operates a hospital in Gillingham, serving more than 427,000 people across Medway and Swale.
Improving fire risk assessment visibility
Previously, fire safety information was distributed across separate records and documents, making it difficult to identify recurring issues across the hospital estate.
The new system uses interactive dashboards to consolidate fire risk assessments, outstanding actions and emerging trends.
This will support decisions concerning fire door replacement, evacuation planning and further risk assessments.
An initial review identified opportunities to address cabling issues through a coordinated approach across the estate, rather than undertaking multiple individual repairs.
Supporting NHS fire safety compliance
The digital system supports NHS fire safety guidance, including HTM 05 03, covering fire risk assessment, and HTM 05 01, which establishes the wider framework for fire safety management in healthcare buildings.
It also supports the Golden Thread principle of maintaining accurate and accessible building safety information throughout a building’s lifecycle.
Neil McElduff, Director of Estates and Facilities for the Trust, said: “The new system is a significant step in our shift towards digital. It underpins the strategic direction of fire safety management and will help maintain a safe environment across our hospital.
“The work to date shows the system’s potential to drive similar insights for other critical areas of risk and compliance across the Trust.”
Using data to prioritise fire safety investment
The platform will enable estates and fire safety teams to identify higher priority risks and make more informed investment decisions.
BIS Consult has previously developed risk management systems for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Airedale General Hospital, addressing asbestos, reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete and asset condition.
Nick Campbell-Voegt, Managing Director of BIS Consult, said: “The digital tool enables Medway NHS Foundation Trust to take a more connected, data-driven approach to risk reduction.
“By developing a single source of truth, it gives teams clearer priorities and ultimately helps create safer hospitals. Other areas of NHS estate risk can benefit from the same method, including water safety and structural condition of buildings or other assets.”
