The medical industry has seen an unparalleled reliance on its services this year, which places a greater emphasis on the need for a dependable and consistent supply of power. Equipment failure due to a loss of power is not tolerated in such a critical environment where it could jeopardise patient and staff safety.

To ensure continuity between all healthcare critical power infrastructures, the industry developed the Healthcare Technical Memorandum (HTM), a document prepared by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). 

The HTM 06-01 focusses on the supply and distribution of electrical services, highlighting the importance of reducing the probability of equipment failure during a primary mains power outage through secondary and tertiary power backup systems.

Recommended in the HTM 06-01 and required by IEC60364, where power is required to be available within 0.5 seconds of a mains failure, further resilience must be provided by a tertiary power supply – a UPS system (uninterruptible power supply). 

The minimum level of redundancy recommended in the HTM 06-01 is N+1, this configuration adds additional reliability to the critical infrastructure. If one UPS was to fail during a power outage, the other would support the load until the primary power source is once again available. A combined N+1 UPS with an IPS (Isolated Power Supply) is regarded as the most resilient configuration that can be adopted.

Guidance in the HTM goes further than only providing guidance on the location and configuration of UPS systems. Very careful attention must be paid to their internal components. HTM 06-01 advises that UPS batteries must have a design life expectance of 10 years, which means that regular servicing of these is vital to ensure they are operating under optimum conditions and to their required potential. Other key components such as capacitors, fans, transformers, and bypass switches also require routine maintenance checks. Identifying any potential weaknesses of the components that could lead to avoidable system failures in the future.

Power Control is keen to remind NHS businesses that its emergency power systems are recognised as providing the NHS with comprehensive, compliant and innovative solutions to meet strict guidelines set out by both the SBS (Hard facilities Framework Agreement) and NOE CPC (North of England Commercial Procurement Collaborative) whilst being committed to providing the NHS value for money. 

Founded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the NHS Shared Businesses Services was set up to ‘improve efficiency and quality, save time and money and support world-class patient care’. It is one of the largest, global shared service providers and has extensive experience across the healthcare sphere. 

Established in 2007, the NOE CPC was set up by the NHS to provide the NHS and other public sector organisations with a trusted procurement process and develop a pool of trusted suppliers. The procurement team from NOE CPC has regular contact with Power Control to ensure products and services meet strict policies and guidelines. 

For over 25 years, Power Control has supplied tertiary power systems that are compliant with specific regulation and best practice guidelines. The company specifies UPS solutions to be configured in a way that meets the guidelines set out in the HTM 06-01 Having made valuable industry connections throughout the years, Power Control provides an all-encompassing tertiary power solution including IPS, UPS, batteries and switchgear.

This Whitepaper contains more information on meeting HTM 06-01 guidelines and complying with additional relevant regulations.

Power Control is trusted by businesses across the country and supplies, installs, commissions, and maintains backup power solutions for all applications. For more information please visit www.powercontrol.co.uk, email info@powercontrol.co.uk or call the office on 01246 431431 

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