Do You Need a Healthcare Legionella Risk Assessment For Your Premises?
We provide Healthcare Legionella Risk Assessments for hospitals, care homes, clinics and all types of healthcare premises across the UK
As a fully independent and impartial company, you can be confident that the results and recommendations you receive from Acorn will always be in your best interests – clinically, operationally and financially.
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Healthcare Legionella Risk Assessments
Do I need a Healthcare Legionella Risk Assessment?
Yes. Healthcare settings look after some of the most vulnerable people – including in-patients, residents, neonatal and elderly care – who are at higher risk from Legionnaires’ disease. As an NHS trust, private healthcare provider, GP, dental practice, hospice or care home operator, you must undertake suitable and sufficient precautions to prevent or control the risk of exposure to legionella.
A suitable and sufficient legionella risk assessment must be carried out to identify and assess the risk of exposure to legionella bacteria from your hot and cold water systems and any associated equipment. In healthcare, this assessment should support the requirements of HTM 04-01, Water Safety Groups and Water Safety Plans.
Commissioning a healthcare legionella risk assessment is your responsibility and will assist you to identify any potential sources of legionella, highlight weaknesses in your current controls and provide a clear, prioritised action plan. It is also a key part of demonstrating compliance to regulators and inspectors.
What is a Healthcare Legionella Risk Assessment?
A healthcare legionella risk assessment is a detailed review of your water systems, management arrangements and control measures in line with HTM 04-01, HSG274 and relevant CQC expectations. It covers all aspects of the hot and cold water systems, how they are operated, and how they are monitored in day-to-day use.
Healthcare legionella risk assessments are designed to provide a documented and pragmatic approach to:
- Identifying, quantifying and assessing potential sources of exposure to Legionella bacteria across wards, departments and support areas
- Assessing existing control measures, including flushing, temperature monitoring, cleaning, disinfection and pre-planned maintenance
- Reviewing governance, training, roles and responsibilities (e.g. Responsible Person, Authorised Person, Water Safety Group)
- Providing clear, prioritised remedial recommendations to reduce risk and align with HTM 04-01, HSG274 and your Water Safety Plan
For all healthcare legionella risk assessments carried out by one of our qualified legionella risk assessors, we undertake a comprehensive inspection of your premises – including clinical areas, outpatient departments, plant rooms and back-of-house spaces.
The survey will look for non-compliant fittings, poor cold water storage or calorifier conditions, TMVs and thermostatic mixing arrangements, temperature profiling of sentinel points, and accessibility to all outlets and assets that require monitoring and maintenance.
The results of this inspection are used to make practical recommendations to help you strengthen your prevention and control measures, reduce risk to vulnerable patients and satisfy internal and external audits.
Following our advice will help you meet your legal responsibilities and comply with all relevant health, safety and healthcare guidance.
Legionella risks are covered under the Health and Safety at Work Act, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 and sector-specific guidance such as HTM 04-01 for healthcare premises.
Fast, Free And Fixed Price Quote Service
We’ll quote you within 1 working day, and the quote you receive will be the price you are charged.
City and Guilds & Healthcare Experienced Consultants
Our legionella consultants hold HTM04-01, WS8 and WS14 City and Guilds qualifications and are experienced in acute, community and private healthcare environments.
Multiple Healthcare Sector Experience
We work with NHS trusts, private hospitals, GP practices, dental surgeries, mental health units and care homes, so we understand the pressures you face.
Free Client Portal And Project Data Storage
All healthcare legionella risk assessments include free access to your own live, secure and encrypted client portal with 24/7 access to reports, action plans and asset registers.
Up To Date Healthcare Safe Systems Of Work
Our experience on live healthcare sites means your risk assessments, SSoW and Water Safety documentation are practical, site-specific and aligned with current guidance.
24/7 Access To Our Legionella Consultants
You’ll have access to our legionella consultants when you need it, including for urgent queries from clinical teams and management.
Free Healthcare Remediation Consultation & Advice
Where remedial works are required, we can assist you with free, independent and impartial advice – helping you plan works around clinical activity.
How much does a Healthcare Legionella Risk Assessment cost?
If you’re looking to find out how much your healthcare legionella risk assessments will cost, all you need to do is fill in our simple quote request form.
Healthcare Legionella Risk Assessment – Frequently Asked Questions
Below we’ve outlined some commonly asked questions about Healthcare Legionella Risk Assessments. Still got a question, contact us and request a call back from one of our legionella consultants.
What is Legionella Bacteria?
Legionella bacteria is a naturally occurring microscopic single-celled organism. Legionella bacteria are widespread and found in natural water systems such as streams, rivers, reservoirs, lakes and ponds, however they are usually in low numbers. When legionella enters man-made systems such as healthcare water systems, calorifiers, TMVs and showers, the right conditions can allow it to multiply and increase the risk of infection.
Where is there a risk from Legionella in healthcare premises?
There is a potential risk of legionella within any healthcare water system that has the right conditions for bacteria to grow and where aerosols (fine water droplets) can be inhaled by patients, staff or visitors.
- Hot and cold water systems serving wards, departments, theatres and outpatient areas
- Showers, baths, sluice rooms and clinical wash-hand basins
- Hydrotherapy pools, spa baths and specialist equipment where present
- Cold water storage tanks, calorifiers and associated plant
- Areas serving augmented care units and high-risk patient groups
How much does a healthcare legionella risk assessment cost?
This depends on a number of factors, including the size of the site, the number of buildings, the complexity of the water systems and the type of healthcare setting (for example, acute hospital, community hospital, clinic or care home).
To get your fast, no-obligation quote click here.
How often should you have a healthcare legionella risk assessment?
In healthcare, the frequency should reflect the level of risk, vulnerability of patients and guidance in HTM 04-01. As a minimum, the assessment should be kept under regular review and formally revisited when there are significant changes to the water systems, buildings, occupancy or clinical use.
What is Legionnaires disease
Legionellosis is a type of pneumonia that can have a fatal outcome, particularly in the very young, the elderly, those with underlying health conditions and the immunocompromised – exactly the groups often present in healthcare environments.
Legionnaires’ disease is normally contracted by inhaling tiny water droplets (aerosols) containing legionella bacteria. These aerosols can be produced from showers, taps, spa pools, cooling towers and other water systems if they are not properly managed.
Healthcare premises must therefore have robust controls in place to protect patients, staff and visitors.
How long does a healthcare risk assessment take?
The time required varies depending on the size and complexity of your healthcare premises and the number of outlets and assets to be assessed. We’ll agree survey durations with you in advance so we can plan around clinical activity and minimise disruption.
Do Acorn Safety Services service my healthcare area?
Yes, we provide nationwide coverage. From our offices in Northampton, Wolverhampton and London we are ideally located to provide healthcare legionella risk assessments, legionella testing and legionella treatment remediation work to the whole of the UK. Contact us today or get a fast turnaround quote here.
Legionella Health and Safety Regulations in healthcare
Legionella risks are covered under the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. In healthcare, HTM 04-01 and associated guidance set out more specific expectations for managing water safety and legionella risk.
Who is responsible for a legionella risk assessment in healthcare?
The Health and Safety Executive’s Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) L8 and HTM 04-01 state that the “dutyholder” is responsible for ensuring a legionella risk assessment is carried out. In healthcare this is typically the organisation’s board, estates/facilities leadership and those appointed as the Responsible Person (Water).
All healthcare providers – NHS trusts, private hospitals, GPs, dentists, care homes and hospices – have a duty to understand and manage legionella risk within their premises.
What types of systems are included in healthcare legionella risk assessments?
A healthcare legionella risk assessment should inspect all locations where water is stored, distributed or used in a way that could create aerosols and expose patients, staff or visitors to legionella bacteria.
The following systems are typically included where present:
- Hot and cold water services (including calorifiers, plate heat exchangers and storage tanks)
- Showers, baths, clinical basins and sluice areas
- Hydrotherapy pools, spa baths and therapeutic water equipment
- Cooling systems, evaporative condensers and associated plant
- Any other plant and systems containing water that can create aerosols
Who can do a healthcare legionella risk assessment?
To undertake a healthcare legionella risk assessment, the assessor must have the necessary competence – the right knowledge, qualifications and experience – in both legionella control and healthcare water systems. You should make reasonable enquiries to satisfy yourself of their competence, for example membership of recognised industry bodies and relevant healthcare project experience.
Can our in-house team do the healthcare legionella risk assessment?
An in-house team could undertake legionella risk assessments, but you would need to be confident that they meet the competency requirements and have sufficient independence from day-to-day operations. Many healthcare providers choose an external specialist for added assurance and an independent view.
Where can Legionella bacteria grow in healthcare systems?
Legionella bacteria can grow in parts of the healthcare water system where water is stored or recirculated, temperatures fall within the growth range (20–45°C), and there are nutrients available from scale, sludge, biofilm or corrosion.
Typical problem areas include rarely used outlets, “dead legs” in pipework, oversized storage, poorly controlled calorifiers and unbalanced systems.
What happens after I receive the healthcare report?
Your healthcare legionella risk assessment report will provide a detailed, prioritised action plan. It will list all identified hazards with photos, temperature data and a full asset register.
Recommendations will be clearly categorised so you can allocate responsibilities, set timescales and track progress – supporting your Water Safety Group and internal governance processes.
How long will it take for me to receive my healthcare legionella report?
Your reports will be quality checked and e-mailed in PDF format.
Where no samples are collected, we typically issue reports within 5 working days. Where water samples are collected, reporting times will be aligned with laboratory analysis times and any urgent non-conformances will be raised with you immediately.
Free Online Portal with Every Healthcare Legionella Risk Assessment
We have worked with our database provider to produce an easy-to-navigate online system that can be accessed via any web browser. There is no downloading software or apps and best of all it’s FREE.
Host your healthcare legionella risk assessment data, action plans and reports securely, accessible anytime from anywhere by your estates, facilities and clinical governance teams.
This is available for anyone who uses our services.
Abbie was very helpful throughout the quoting and booking process and Samantha came back to me with booking information incredibly quickly.
I would go back to them for other safety services in the future.
Services such as TMVs and Legionella management are delivered to a very high standard, and the engineers are consistently knowledgeable, professional, and a pleasure to deal with.
A big shout-out to Kyle in particular for all his recent help — always responsive, helpful, and proactive. Highly recommended.
John Crockett Managing Consultant- Ash Consulting
Adam and his team provided a very effective and efficient service in a timely manner.
Good knowledge and explanations were given by Adam during his visits on site, giving us a sound understanding.
We will definitely be using Acorn again and highly recommend them.
Thanks to Zeynep for responding staright away to my calls and emails. Great customer service.
Thank you.
Mandy Rowe
pp David Investments Limited
Thanks also to Zeynep for keeping in touch and always responding staright away to my emails! Brilliant customer service. I would definitely recommend Acorn Safety Services!
They provided an efficient and cost effective service on a timely basis.
Adam Midson their consultant carried out the risk assessment followed by our required training. He could not have been more helpful in assisting us to understand the requirements and responsibilities of the company going forward.
We feel confident that they will be there to provide support if and when needed.
Legionella risk assessment
Identify Your Risks – Preventing Legionella Exposure
LEGIONELLA TESTING
Get Fast Results For Your Suspected Legionella Samples
LEGIONELLA REMEDIATION
Ensuring Safety Of Your Water Plant & Services
LEGIONELLA MONITORING
Ensure Continuous Safety with Ongoing Water Quality Checks
