Is Your Healthcare Site's Backup Power Ready? 5 Questions Every Estates Team Should Ask

When the mains supply fails in a hospital, clinic or care setting, the backup power system has one job: to take over quickly and keep critical services running without interruption. Operating theatres, intensive care, imaging, pharmacy storage, lifts, nurse call systems and IT all depend on it.

Most healthcare estates have backup generators in place, but having a generator on site isn't the same as having resilient backup power. Equipment ages, electrical demand grows, and sites change over time, often faster than the systems that support them.

If you're responsible for keeping a healthcare site running, these five questions will help you gauge how ready your backup power really is.

1. Is your generator still sized for today's load?

Many generators were specified years ago, based on the site as it was then. Since installation, your site may have added new wards, diagnostic equipment, IT infrastructure, EV charging or extensions, all of which increase electrical demand.

A generator that's undersized for current load may struggle to pick up essential circuits when it's needed most, or fail altogether under strain. If there have been significant changes to your site since the system was installed, it's worth reviewing whether your backup capacity has kept pace.

2. When was it last properly tested under load?

A generator that starts during a routine check isn't necessarily one that will perform in a real outage. Running a set without load doesn't show how it will cope when it has to support your site's actual demand, and it can cause its own problems over time.

Regular on-load testing, including load bank testing where needed, gives you genuine confidence that the system will deliver when called upon. HTM 06-01, the Department of Health guidance on electrical services supply and distribution in healthcare premises, sets out clear expectations for testing, and keeping accurate records is just as important as carrying out the tests themselves.

3. How old is your equipment, and what's your plan for replacing it?

Generators are built to last, but they don't last forever. As equipment ages, parts become harder to source, reliability can decline and maintenance costs tend to rise.

Replacing a generator on a live healthcare site takes careful planning. Temporary power, access, noise, fuel and minimal disruption to patient services all need to be considered. The sites that manage this best are the ones that plan replacement well in advance, rather than reacting after a failure. If your equipment is approaching the end of its working life, now is the time to start that conversation.

4. Are you confident you're meeting HTM 06-01?

HTM 06-01 sets out how electrical services in healthcare buildings should be designed, installed, operated and maintained, including requirements for emergency power. Essential circuits need to be restored within a set timeframe of a mains failure, and the guidance covers everything from system design to maintenance and testing regimes.

Compliance isn't a one-off exercise. As your site changes, so do the demands on your backup power. A regular review of your system against the guidance helps you identify gaps early, and gives you evidence to support budget requests and capital planning.

5. What happens if your backup system fails?

Even well-maintained systems need a contingency plan. Ask yourself: if your generator failed during an outage, how quickly could you get support on site? Do you have access to temporary power? Is your fuel supply secure, and is the fuel itself in good condition? Stored diesel can degrade over time if it isn't managed properly.

Knowing the answers to these questions before an emergency, rather than during one, makes all the difference.

Making resilience a priority

With ageing estates, rising electrical demand and pressure on budgets, keeping backup power resilient is one of the biggest challenges facing healthcare estates teams. The good news is that most risks can be identified and managed with the right planning, testing and maintenance in place.

At Ingram, we help estates teams across the UK make sure their backup power is ready when it matters. From generator supply and installation to planned maintenance, testing and emergency support, we work with you to keep critical services running.

Talk to us at Healthcare Estates 2026

We're exhibiting at Healthcare Estates 2026 at Manchester Central on 13 and 14 October. Visit us on stand B1 to talk through your site's backup power, upcoming projects or any of the questions above.

Can't make the show? Get in touch and we'll be happy to help.