GP practices have been advised to ‘protect’ their premises as official data reveals over 140 arson attacks took place at healthcare buildings last year.
Home Office figures showed that there were 500 fires at ‘hospitals and medical care’ facilities in 2023/24 in England, of which 146 were ‘deliberate’.
A fire safety supplier, CheckFire Ltd, cited these figures in its recently published report which highlighted the ‘alarming prevalence of arson incidents in healthcare settings’ and the ‘significant risk’ to patient safety.
To protect their practices from arson, the report encouraged GPs to take actions such as upgrading their fire alarm systems, installing CCTV in high-risk areas and training staff to recognise suspicious behaviour.
Healthcare providers must adhere to the regulations set out in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, but they are under no legal obligation to have arson-specific plans, according to CheckFire.
Official figures showed that in total there were just over 4,100 deliberate fires in England in 2023/24, and of the sectors monitored by the Home Office, healthcare facilities ranked second only to retail premises.
However, the number of deliberate fires occurring in GP practices and hospitals has reduced since the previous year (2022/23) when there were 211 (see graph below).
Source: CheckFire graph on deliberate fires at healthcare facilities via Home Office
The fire safety supplier recommended the following actions for GP practices and other healthcare facilities to protect against arson:
- Implement measures such as alarms, security lighting and CCTV to help deter or detect potential arsonists
- Conduct regular assessments to help identify weak spots in security
- Implement strict access controls such as secure gates and using checking in/out procedures for entrance to certain parts of a the building
- Ensure flammable materials such as cleaning agents and pharmaceuticals are stored securely and closely monitored for any nearby risks
- Increase staff awareness so they know how to recognise and report suspicious activities.
The report said that the consequences of arson in healthcare facilities ‘can be far-reaching’, by ‘damaging critical infrastructure’ or ‘disrupting patient care’.
CheckFire director Bruce Robins said: ‘It’s vital that healthcare providers take action to protect their facilities from these deliberate acts and ensure the safety of patients, staff, and visitors.’
Last year, the Institute of General Practice Management (IGPM) wrote to MPs requesting that the issue of patient abuse experienced in GP surgeries be raised in Parliament. The letter followed a spate of incidents, one of which was an arson attack on a surgery in Yorkshire.
This article was first published by our sister title Pulse
