McGee, Erith among contractors in NHS building and fire safety scheme

McGee, Erith and Turner & Townsend are among the 66 specialist firms awarded a slot in a new building safety and fire compliance framework agreement for the NHS estate and wider public sector.

The four-year scheme includes 10 lots for services such as passive and active fire safety, asbestos management and removal, PAT testing and legionella and water treatment.

It also provides consultancy services to mitigate risks for life hazards, liability, operational disruption, reputational damage and legal penalties.

The £200m framework has been awarded by NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS), a partnership between the Department of Health and the French IT consultancy Sopra Steria that provides corporate services to the NHS.

NHS England estimates the cost of eradicating the NHS maintenance backlog at £13.8bn – higher than the £13.6bn total cost of running the NHS estate.

The National Audit Office reported 5,400 clinical incidents in 2023-2024 due to infrastructure failures and poor conditions. Trust documents reveal deficiencies that risk fires, floods, electrical failures and hazardous material exposure.

The government has allocated £1bn in funding for essential repairs and upgrades, including £102m for the first phase of GP surgery upgrades. The £15bn New Hospital Programme also aims to modernise NHS buildings over several phases.

Brendan Griffin-Ryan, NHS SBS senior category manager, said: “The increased emphasis on fire safety brought about by the dreadful Grenfell Tower disaster has shown that some NHS buildings fail to meet modern safety standards and underscores why fire safety compliance and protocols are paramount.

“The NHS must prioritise fire safety to prevent incidents similar to Grenfell from occurring in healthcare settings, where the impact could be catastrophic.”