PAT testing and electrical safety testing for care and mobility equipment

Is PAT testing a legal requirement?

There's no law that says "you must PAT test every year". What the law does say, in the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, is that electrical equipment must be maintained so that it doesn't cause danger. The IET Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment is the guidance most organisations follow to decide how often to inspect and test. In practice, inspection and testing is how you show you've met the duty, and it's what CQC inspectors and insurers expect to see a record of.

What we test

We keep our PAT testing focused on the equipment we know best:

• Electric profiling beds and their handsets
• Mobile, ceiling and bath hoists, and hoist chargers
• Dynamic mattress pumps
• Riser recliner chairs and other powered seating
• Other mobility and patient-handling equipment

We don't test general appliances such as kettles, TVs, computers or hairdryers. If you need those covered too, ask us about CareGuard: its electrical partner can test them, so your whole building is covered.

Medical electrical equipment

Profiling beds, hoist chargers, mattress pumps and other medical electrical equipment need more than a standard portable appliance test. They're inspected and tested in a way that suits medical equipment, as part of their regular service. Combine PAT testing with your equipment servicing and your equipment is serviced and tested on one visit, in one register.

How often should equipment be tested?

The right frequency depends on the type of equipment and how it's used. Equipment that's moved around or used heavily usually needs more frequent checks. Most care and mobility equipment is inspected and tested at least once a year, at its annual service, with regular visual checks by staff in between. We'll recommend a schedule for your equipment.

PAT testing in Hampshire and the South Coast

From our base in Lee-on-the-Solent we carry out PAT testing for care homes, nursing homes and hospitals across Portsmouth, Southampton, Fareham, Gosport, Winchester and Basingstoke, as well as West Sussex and Dorset.