CareHomeDeskCareHomeDeskA PPM schedule is not a list of nice-to-haves. It is a documented programme of legally required maintenance activities. Here is how to build one that holds up to scrutiny.
Planned preventive maintenance (PPM) is the scheduled, proactive servicing and inspection of building systems and equipment to prevent failure and maintain compliance. It is distinct from reactive maintenance (fixing what has broken) and corrective maintenance (improving what is inadequate). A PPM schedule is not optional: many of the activities within it are statutory requirements -- gas safety checks, EICR cycles, LOLER examinations, L8 monitoring, PSSR examinations, fire alarm testing, emergency lighting tests. CQC inspectors ask to see a rolling maintenance programme as evidence of safe premises management.
The core statutory PPM frequencies for a care home are as follows. Annually: gas safety check (CP12) under Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998; fire alarm full service under BS 5839-1; emergency lighting annual full-discharge test under BS 5266-1; fire extinguisher annual service. Every 5 years: EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) under BS 7671. Every 6 months: LOLER thorough examination for all hoists, lifting equipment and passenger lifts; fire alarm quarterly service (minimum). Every 14 months (typically): PSSR periodic examination for calorifiers and pressure vessels. Quarterly: L8 temperature monitoring at sentinel outlets; fire door inspection; emergency lighting monthly flick test (continuous). These are legal minimums -- your risk assessment may require more frequent attention for specific items.
A compliant PPM schedule lists every asset requiring planned maintenance, the maintenance activity required, the statutory or recommended frequency, the contractor or person responsible for carrying it out, the date last completed, and the date next due. It is a live document -- updated when activities are completed, when new assets are added, and when frequencies change. A PPM schedule that was created once and never updated is evidence of poor governance, not good governance. CQC inspectors look for evidence that the schedule is actively used and acted upon.
Start with an asset register -- a list of every maintainable system and piece of equipment in the building. Group assets by system type: structure and fabric (roof, drainage, external areas); mechanical (heating, HVAC, hot water, lifts); electrical (distribution, fire alarm, emergency lighting, CCTV, access control); fire safety (detection, suppression, suppression systems, fire doors, dampers); water hygiene (cold water storage, calorifiers, distribution, sampling); and specialist (nurse call, door security, assistive technology). For each asset, identify the statutory or recommended maintenance frequency and the competent contractor or individual to carry it out.
Operators who invest in a robust PPM programme consistently report lower reactive maintenance spend. This is not surprising: systems that are regularly serviced fail less often and give earlier warning signs when they do begin to deteriorate. The business case for PPM is not a compliance argument alone -- it is an operational and financial argument. A boiler that is serviced annually and replaced at the planned end of its life costs a fraction of an emergency replacement during winter. Budget for PPM as a fixed commitment, not a discretionary line that gets cut when cash is tight.
CQC inspectors look for three things: that a PPM programme exists, that it is being actively followed, and that where items have fallen behind schedule there is a documented reason and an action plan. Maintain a PPM evidence file that contains: the current PPM schedule, completed service reports and inspection certificates for each item, any overdue items flagged with a reason and target completion date, and contractor contact details and competence verification. If an item is overdue, the absence of an explanation and a recovery plan is more damaging in an inspection than the delay itself.
CareHomeDesk gives you compliance checklists, maintenance logs, and contractor management tools built around exactly this kind of knowledge.