Healthcare premises rely on the availability and reliability of water supplies. In addition and of critical importance is that the water is safe to drink as well as for use in healthcare related activities. Issues such as that of legionnaires' disease, a lung infection that can be caught via infected water, has raised the importance of appropriate measures to limit this and similar diseases via water. 

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Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 04 01: Safe water in healthcare premises, gives guidance on the legal requirements, design applications, maintenance and operation of hot and cold water supply, storage and distribution systems in all types of healthcare premises. The HTM is provided in the following parts: 

Part a: Design, installation and commissioning 

Part b: Operational management 

Part c: Pseudomas aeurginosa, advice for augmented care units. 

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There is also a supplement: Performance specification D 08, thermostatic mixing valves (healthcare premises).

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As well as the methods to control water quality, including treatment, filtration and softening, consideration must be given to the storage and distribution systems. Our services include:

 

Documentation review: We will undertake a full offsite (or onsite if necessary) assessment of all your relevant documentation, procedures and processes. This will include a review of stated roles and responsibilities including executive teams, advisers, water control managers, and those managing water supply system designers, installers and maintainers. A review of documents including policies; design control, risk assessments (and validation of follow up to action plans); documentation control of installation and maintenance companies;  details of inspections by third parties such as  CQC, etc.

 

Onsite assessment: We will attend every site covered by the scope of the scheme and assess the following:

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• An assessment of the use of the documents previously reviewed.

• Undertaking a procedural assessment of document use to ensure an effective audit trail.

• Interviews with relevant staff and other third parties to assess their understanding of their responsibilities. 

• A record of our findings which will be included within our executive report.​

 

Report Preparation: We will prepare a specially formatted "AdashE" report designed for the Trust Executive. This will include all our findings within a single Trust Report  (where multiple sites are involved). The report will include a prioritised action plan.

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Presentation of Results: We will arrange an onsite presentation to Trust representatives to formally give our findings together with suggestions. This will also include a question and answer session.

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Our annual workshop will be held in one or more parts of the country and will address a number of key and topical issues of interest to those making use of authorising-engineer services.  The workshop will be developed in line with the development of the scheme.

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Our post audit service is offered after a CQC or other third party audit where issues require urgent follow up. Up to two resource days per year are included in the scheme and is based on our offsite attendance which may include liaison with the auditing personnel. If onsite attendance is required, this will be charged for separately.

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Our technical support service can be accessed via this website using the members portal. We will aim to respond within 48 hours. If onsite attendance is required, this will be charged for separately.

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