NHS Blood and Transplant, UK

Project Background

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is a specialist health authority within the National Health Service. It is responsible for optimising the supply of blood, organs and tissues, and raising the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of blood and transplant services. NHSBT operate from over 90 fixed locations across the UK.

Historically, NHSBT managed fire safety on geographical areas aligned to Regional Health Authorities and carried out in-house fire risk assessments. This approach meant that there was no national overview or co-ordination of fire safety across the NHSBT network.

However, when risk-based fire safety legislation was introduced in 2006 and the Department of Health demanded continual improvement within the industry, fire safety management acquired a greater priority and a requirement to be managed by a specialist.

A decision was taken to contract out the provision of fire safety advice, fire risk assessment and fire safety engineering services to a specialist fire engineering consultant.

Since 2002, Tenos has been contracted by NHS Blood and Transplant to act as their national fire engineering consultant. In April 2015, we were awarded a new three-year contract to provide NHSBT with fire engineering advisory services and AutoCAD hosting, with the option to extend for a further four times one year extensions at the end of the period.

 

Project Scope

Tenos has been contracted by NHS Blood and Transplant to act as their fire engineering consultant to help the organisation’s Estates and Facilities Department to cost-effectively manage fire safety across a nationwide portfolio.

 

Tenos Solution

Tenos continues to work closely with the NHSBT Estates and Facilities Department to provide the organisation with a wide range of fire engineering solutions including:

• The development of a national fire safety policy and fire safety management plan;
• Guidance for the successful adoption of the national fire safety policy and fire safety management plan throughout the organisation;
• Reviews of proposed alterations, refurbishments and extensions to existing NHSBT buildings;
• Providing technical guidance on replacement or updating of fire safety programmes for fire detection, fixed fire-fighting and emergency escape lighting systems;
• Carrying out fire risk assessments and assistance in the management of actions, including provision of fire safety training;
• Completion of intrusive surveys to determine the adequacy and efficiency of fire compartmentation;
• Access to our online, real-time fire safety management portal, Tenos Benchmark, to record track and manage fire safety actions in real time for any site.