Ventilation is used extensively in healthcare premises for primary patient treatment in operating departments, intensive treatment units and isolation suites. It is also installed to ensure compliance with quality assurance of manufactured items in pharmacy and sterile supply departments and to protect staff from harmful organisms and toxic substances, for example in laboratories.
This edition of Health Technical Memorandum 2025 Ventilation in healthcare premises is published in separate sections. It is equally applicable to both new and existing sites. It gives comprehensive advice and guidance to healthcare management, design engineers, estates managers and operations managers on the legal requirements, design implications, maintenance and operation of specialist ventilation in all types of healthcare premises.
Current statutory legislation requires both “management” and “staff” to be aware of their collective responsibility.
“Ventilation” is provided in healthcare premises for the comfort of the occupants of buildings. More specialised ventilation will also provide comfort but its prime function will be to closely control the environment and air movement of the space that it serves in order to contain, control and reduce hazards to patients and staff from airborne contaminants.
Ventilation systems in themselves present little danger to patients or staff; however, they do possess the ability to transmit hazards arising from other sources to large numbers of people. The danger may not become apparent until many patients and staff have been affected.
The sophistication of ventilation systems in healthcare premises is increasing. Patients and staff have a right to expect that it will be designed, installed, operated and maintained to standards that will enable it to fulfil its desired functions reliably and safely.

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