Speaking at the second annual NHS Estates Fire Safety Forum, Mazin Daoud, Head of Fire Safety for NHS England, 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,” Mazin says.
This hybrid event was attended by over 100 fire safety professionals from NHS Trusts, healthcare design practices and contractors. It 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.
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 remains 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.”
Sharing insight
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.
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 specifications 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.
The forum was hosted by Specialist Door Solutions (SDS). The third annual NHS Estates Fire Safety Forum will be held on January 20, 2027.
