Not really my area, but more as a point of order - BS 7671 section 710 will be based on IEC/HD 60364-7-710 (or at least the 2012/2013 edition according to page 15 of BS 7671) likewise other European countries will similarly 'take into account the technical substance' of 60364-7-710 into the appropriate section of the their own national wiring standards (e.g. NF C15-100 in France or DIN VDE 0100  in Germany) - so both in BS 7671 land and elsewhere the exact requirements might differ a little from 60364-7-710 itself. As far as I know nowhere does 60364-7-710 apply directly.

Also I think it was mentioned recently that the HTMs don't apply to the entire UK - each of the devolved countries (England, Wales, Scotland and NI) have their own potentially differing versions.

    - Andy.

Your comments are appreciated. BS 7671 section 710 is influenced by IEC/HD 60364-7-710, but not a carbon copy of it. As you observed, different European countries may have slightly diverse standards based on their national wiring rules. However, I still think it is advantageous to refer to the international standard as a common framework for comparison and discussion. You also highlighted that the HTMs (Health Technical Memoranda) are only relevant to England, not the entire UK. This is true, as each of the devolved countries has their own guidance documents for healthcare facilities. For example, Scotland has the SHTMs (Scottish Health Technical Memoranda), Wales has the WHCs (Welsh Health Circulars), and Northern Ireland has the HBNs (Health Building Notes). These documents may have some variations from the HTMs, but they are generally in line with them and follow the same principles.

As the UK has left the EU, it might be possible to change or update the British standards that regulate the electrical installations in healthcare premises, such as BS 7671 and HTM 06-02, and adopt the American standards instead, for example NFPA 99 and NEC. This might affect the NHS’s spending and quality on the electrical infrastructure and requirements. What are the pros and cons of following the USA standards, which are less strict? How would this impact the healthcare delivery’s safety and efficiency?

The first thing that comes to mind is that even ignoring medical installations for a moment, American electrical practice is very different.

Firstly  physically - we tend to use 3 phase more often for example, and American plugs, sockets and lamp holder standards are incompatible with their UK counterparts, as are the voltages, then after that cable types, core colours and fitting dimensions differ.

Secondly in terms of legal basis - we do not have a prescriptive electrical code nor the concept of registered electricians, and instead we have essential requirements, and require work to be tested and certified that it meets them, but the 'how' is not rigidly defined.

It would probably be hard to adapt US standards to work here in a way that was not actually be more effort. Having been involved on one or two products that had to work in both places, I can say it was painful, even down to small stuff like the use of metric threads on earth lugs.

I would expect the medical market to be even harder.

Mike.

Consider something really simple like sockets -there is no read-accross even in the type of rule that is needed....

the US standard NFPA 99

Receptacles in Operating Rooms. Each operating rooms shall be provided with a minimum of 36 125-volt, 15- or 20-ampere receptacles, at least 12 of which shall be connected to either the normal branch circuit or a critical branch circuit
supplied by a different transfer switch other than the receptacles at the same location. They shall be permitted to be of the single, duplex, or quadruplex type, or any combination of the three. Other receptacles (e.g., portable X-ray receptacles) serving special-purpose, cord-and-plug-connected equipment shall be permitted to be of the locking or non-locking-type.

And the nearest equivalent UK

BS7671 section 710.553.1

Socket-outlet circuits in the medical IT system for medical locations of Group 2
Socket-outlets intended to supply ME equipment shall be unswitched.
At each patient's place of treatment, e.g. bed heads, the configuration of socket-outlets shall be as follows:
(i) Each socket-outlet supplied by an individually protected circuit, or
(ii) several socket-outlets separately supplied by a minimum of two circuits.
Socket-outlets used on medical IT systems shall be coloured blue and be clearly and permanently marked ' Medical Equipment Only'.
NOTE:Supporting information is given in HTM 06-0 I.

(looking at https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/HTM_06-02.pdf )

As the UK has left the EU, it might be possible to change or update the British standards

Leaving the EU has made no difference on that score - it;'s the UK's membership of CENELEC that drives that standardization process - and we remain members of that.

   - Andy.

This means that the UK would need to make many changes to its current electrical systems, rules, advice, learning, papers, and tests if it wants to follow the same standards as the USA for electrical engineering and medical places. It would also need to handle the potential issues or impacts of such a change on areas like technology, law, money, and society. But it might be possible if it can help the NHS save money.