Fire and safety in healthcare is the steps that any hospital, GP practice, dental practice or any other healthcare building must take in order to protect staff and patients from the danger of fires. Any type of building in the healthcare sector must comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) 2005, by doing a fire related risk assessment, minimising any risks found, and installing all necessary fire safety equipment.

Fire safety is especially important in healthcare environments because many individuals in these types of buildings are sick, injured, or otherwise vulnerable, with varying levels of mobility and ability. Because of this, fire prevention and proper fire evacuation plans are absolutely imperative. Furthermore, there are a number of staff working in these buildings day and night, meaning that no matter when a fire is started, there may always be people at risk.

The number one fire hazard, and the leading cause of fires in healthcare settings, is electrical faults. Due to the fact that the healthcare industry is becoming increasingly reliant on electrical equipment for diagnosis, treatment, and backend data storage, there are a lot of things that could go wrong. Like any other electrical point, electric equipment in hospitals has the potential to short circuit or overload, especially if the equipment is overly worn or outdated.

Fire prevention is most important in hospitals due to the vast number of incapacitated patients, who are unabe to leave their beds. This can also be extended to those who cannot walk. Because of this, evacuation is a lengthy and dangerous procedure. Patients have to wait in their beds as the fire worsens, and able bodied members of staff, or firefighters, have to run back into potentially dangerous areas in order to evacuate said patients before anything can happen to them.