Access to a safe water supply is critical in healthcare environments, and complying with the Department of Health and Social Care’s Technical Memorandum, HTM 04-01, is crucial for estates and facilities managers, suppliers, and NHS management teams.
Simon Russell, National Sales manager, Commercial and Corporate Specification, at Heatrae Sadia, outlines the key challenges in delivering water into a clinical setting, and explains how the latest technology can help to ensure safety for patients, visitors, and staff.
Providing patients, staff, and visitors with free access to safe drinking water is high on the list of priorities for healthcare estates and facilities managers. Water is a critical element of recovery, and to put patients who are already vulnerable at risk of diseases such as Legionnaire’s disease is something that cannot be permitted. The Department of Health and Social Care provides guidance that governs safe water provision in public healthcare, and Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 04-01 represents the gold standard for water compliance. It is a substantial document that covers design, installation, commissioning, and operational management, paying close attention to the risk of waterborne pathogens such as Legionella. While its length is important in ensuring it thoroughly addresses all the issues, it does mean that compliance is an arduous process. Consequently, healthcare facilities can sometimes find their water provision lagging behind the latest innovations, as management teams struggle to keep pace with technological changes.
The risks
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