Standards · Standard or regulation
HTM 06-01
Health Technical Memorandum 06-01: Electrical services supply and distribution
In plain words
What it covers.
NHS guidance for the design, operation and maintenance of electrical supplies in healthcare buildings. It sets how resilient each area's power must be, how generators and UPS support critical areas, how medical IT systems are used in Group 2 locations, and how supplies are tested and managed safely.
Who uses it: NHS estates teams, electrical designers, authorised persons (electrical) and clinical engineers planning critical areas.
A summary written by BMEssentia for learning, not the text of the standard. Always work from the current official edition and the manufacturer's instructions.
It covers
- Risk-based resilience of electrical supplies
- Generators and changeover times
- UPS and battery systems
- Medical IT (isolated) systems
- Group 0, 1 and 2 medical locations
- Testing and safe operation
Key points
What engineers need to know.
- Critical areas such as theatres and ICU need supplies that keep running through mains failure.
- Standby generators should restore supply within 15 seconds.
- UPS covers the gap and protects critical loads that cannot tolerate any break.
- Group 2 locations use medical IT systems with insulation monitoring so a first fault does not cut supply.
- Regular on-load generator and UPS testing is essential evidence.
- It works alongside IEC 60364-7-710 (BS 7671 Section 710).
Medical City
Where you practise it.
- Room Builder and Hospital Architect electrical groups
- S1-M047 ICU expansion
- S1-M061 surgical wing brief
- S2-M087 emergency power test