Project Overview

Addenbrooke’s Hospital, part of Cambridge University Lesson’s Learned and Process Improvements Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has relied on Chubb Fire & Security since 2017 to maintain and service more than 2,000 fire extinguishers across its extensive campus.

Operating under the NHS framework agreement, Chubb provides annual servicing, inspections and reactive maintenance, ensuring that fire safety equipment across the hospital’s 56 buildings remains compliant and fully operational. This includes seven off-site buildings, spread across Cambridge that are used for admin, finance and a day surgery unit. The hospital benefits from a dedicated on-site engineer who understands the unique layout and operational requirements of each department, enabling fast response and reliable support.

Addressing and Overcoming Challenges

As one of the largest hospitals in the East of England, Addenbrooke’s spans a vast, complex site that functions like a self-contained community – including laboratories, wards, offices and public areas. Managing and maintaining more than 2,000 extinguishers across 56 buildings requires strong coordination and an in-depth understanding of site-specific requirements.

To meet these demands, Chubb assigned a dedicatedengineer, who assessed the site and understands it in detail – from the layout of each building to departmental safety protocols. This continuity ensures consistent service quality, rapid resolution of issues and trusted communication with hospital facilities staff.

A recent operational challenge involved the nationwidephase-out of PFAS-based foam extinguishers, in line with environmental regulations. Chubb worked closely with Addenbrooke’s to plan a five-year replacement programme, introducing Hydrospray extinguishers and PFAS-free foam alternatives in suitable areas. Since certain hospital environments, such as laboratories, still require foam units, Chubb and Addenbrooke’s agreed a tailored approach, ensuring both compliance and continuity of protection.

Lesson’s Learned and Process Improvements

A key lesson learned during the contract involved invoice referencing and job management for reactive callouts. Initially, a mismatch between purchase order and job ID references caused administrative delays.

Chubb resolved this by updating engineer notes and improving communication between the help desk, the on-site engineer and the account coordinator. This change streamlined job processing, ensuring that all callouts now carry the correct identifiers, improving efficiency and billing accuracy.

This proactive adjustment demonstrates Chubb’s responsiveness and willingness to refine internal processes based on client feedback – a key strength when managing contracts across large, multi-site estates.

Solution

Chubb’s service for Addenbrooke’s includes:

  • Annual servicing and inspection of 2,094 fire extinguishers across 56 buildings.
  • A dedicated engineer to provide consistency, familiarity and rapid on-site response.
  • Proactive replacement of PFAS-based foam extinguishers with environmentally responsible alternatives.
  • Reactive call-out support for issues such as missing tags, accidental discharge or damaged units.
  • Electronic certification and reporting with inspection certificates emailed immediately following site visits.

In addition to scheduled maintenance, the on-site engineer works closely with the hospital to carry out minor remedial work at the time of service, helping to avoid unnecessary repeat visits and downtime.