The hybrid event, held at The SDS Hub in London on 21st January and streamed live online, brought together leading voices from across healthcare fire safety to discuss regulatory updates, governance expectations and the practical realities of maintaining fire safety systems in live hospital environments.
A central theme throughout the forum was the move away from checklist-driven compliance toward risk-based, evidence-led decision making.
Discussions focused on recent updates to HTM 05-03, particularly the strengthened emphasis on risk-based maintenance regimes and the introduction of Primary and Secondary Fire Risk Assessments. The revised structure places clearer accountability on both estates teams and departmental management, embedding fire safety responsibility across organisations rather than siloing it within a single function.
Mazin Daoud, Head of Fire Safety for NHS England, said:
“At the forum I focused on the practical application of HTM 05-03 and the need for a proportionate, risk-based approach to fire safety in healthcare buildings. Effective fire safety relies on competent assessment, informed maintenance decisions, and clear ownership at a Trust level.”
The forthcoming update to HTM 05-01 was also explored, with speakers highlighting the increased scrutiny on governance structures, fire safety leadership and demonstrable competence.
Nine years on from Grenfell, the issue of professional competence remained a prominent talking point. Referencing the wider industry context, one speaker quoted the Government’s findings of “profound systemic failures and gaps in professional competence and ethical behaviour.”
The forum addressed ongoing concerns around misunderstanding of fire door assemblies, inconsistent installation quality and over-reliance on third-party certification without full technical understanding.
Alan Oliver, Fire Safety professional and NAHFO member, said:
“It was a real pleasure to be part of this NHS Estates Fire Safety Forum and to see such strong engagement around professional competence and the practical application of fire safety guidance in healthcare settings. I’m currently leading a Working Group of NAHFO members in writing a research paper to help promote and improve the understanding, application, and scrutiny of existing risk based guidance, and events like this are vital in supporting that aim. My thanks to SDS for hosting the forum and providing such an important platform for open, informed discussion.”
From an NHS Trust perspective, speakers shared candid insights into the operational reality of maintaining fire doors across complex estates. In mental health environments for example, high levels of impact damage were described as “quite normal”, reinforcing the need for durable specifications and proportionate, documented risk decisions.
Practical approaches discussed included developing Trust-specific fire door specification and standardising components to simplify maintenance.
Architects also highlighted the challenge of balancing regulatory compliance with service continuity in live healthcare settings, where shutting down clinical areas may introduce greater risk than proportionate remediation.
Across all discussions, the unifying message was clear: patient safety remains the ultimate objective.
Russell James, Strategic Partnership Director at SDS, said:
“Fire safety in healthcare is complex and evolving. What this forum demonstrated is the importance of collaboration across Trusts, designers and contractors to ensure decisions are not only compliant, but practical and maintainable.
Moving from compliance to competence is the next essential step for the sector, and we are proud to provide a platform for these important conversations.”
The strong engagement at the NHS Estates Fire Safety Forum has reinforced the appetite within the sector for open discussion, shared learning and clearer guidance as regulatory expectations continue to evolve.
The date has already been set next year’s Forum which is due to take place on Wednesday 20th January 2027.
For more information on future events held by Specialist Door Solutions, contact our experts.