Classification: Official
Publication reference: PRN02414                               

To: Directors of estates

Dear colleagues,

Authorising engineers – national register and certification

As announced at Healthcare Estates in October 2025, NHS England and the Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management (IHEEM) are introducing a central register and certification process for authorising engineers (AEs) working on NHS infrastructure in England. This provides the AE profession with a single, coherent standard to strengthen governance and patient and public assurance around safety across the NHS estate.

By partnering with IHEEM, a recognised professional body operating under Engineering Council governance, we are aligning AE practice to a clear, transparent and nationally consistent standard of competence and conduct. All practising AEs who advise or work on NHS infrastructure will be required (through HTM 00) to obtain IHEEM Registered Authorising Engineer certification and to appear on the central IHEEM AE Register.

A single national approach provides:

• stronger and more consistent assurance in technical, high-risk domains
• offers clearer accountability and evidential confidence when incidents are investigated
• gives practitioners nationally recognised professional standing underpinned by an independent body with appropriate governance.
• brings clarity and efficiency for appointing organisations, making verification of competence more reliable and comparable across the system

Transition period

The transition period for this change will be 3 years from the date of this letter to ensure the change is fair and manageable. It gives existing practitioners sufficient time to complete the certification process and trusts to plan a managed transition across all AE roles. From the date of this letter, you should make new AE appointments, where available, from the IHEEM register and at the end of the transition period only registered AEs will be eligible for appointment to work on NHS infrastructure.

IHEEM certification process

The certification process is designed to be clear and accessible. Applicants will prepare evidence against defined competence standards and complete independent assessments. Successful candidates will be entered on the IHEEM register and maintain their status through continuing professional development and periodic recertification.

The certification process recognises previous learning and experience, so that long serving AEs can demonstrate competence efficiently without duplicating effort.

While there will be costs associated with assessment, registration and any required development, these should be considered in the context of improved risk management, more consistent assurance and reduced uncertainty for organisations, patients and the public. Estates and facilities leaders are encouraged to plan time and support for applicants through workforce development and assurance budgets.

Further guidance and support

Further guidance, including a detailed timetable and support materials, will be issued in the coming weeks. Estates and facilities directors should share these with AEs and AEs should familiarise themselves with the application requirements that will be available on the IHEEM website (Authorising Engineers – IHEEM), and trusts may wish to map current AE coverage (both in house and via suppliers) and begin planning their transition to registered appointments.

NHS England regional estates and facilities teams will provide implementation support locally and IHEEM will host information sessions and publish detailed guidance and FAQs.

Please direct any queries you have about the certification process to IHEEM (office@iheem.org.uk) and any about policy or implementation to NHS England’s Estates and Facilities team (england.estatesandfacilities@nhs.net).

We are grateful for the dedication and professionalism of the AE community and for the leadership of directors of estates and facilities across the NHS. We look forward to working with you as we implement this important improvement together.

Yours sincerely,

Simon Corben Director and Head of Profession NHS Estates
Pete Sellars, Chief Executive The Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management