Howard F Timms
Doncaster
Summary
Senior estates and facilities professional with over forty years’ experience within the NHS, having spent most of my career at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. During this time, I have progressed through a range of technical, managerial and senior leadership roles within the Estates and Facilities Directorate. I currently hold the position of Deputy Director of Estates and Facilities, a role I resumed following a three-year period serving as Acting Director of Estates and Facilities between 2021 and 2024, during which I provided strategic leadership to the Directorate. Following this period of director-level responsibility, I returned to my substantive Deputy Director role as part of a planned adjustment to my working commitment while continuing to provide senior leadership within the Directorate and retaining responsibility as Trust Senior Fire Safety Manager. My role encompasses the strategic leadership, governance and operational assurance of the Trust estate and facilities services in accordance with NHS Estates Code requirements. This includes oversight of estate infrastructure, statutory compliance systems, capital investment programmes and the safe operation of complex healthcare environments.
Overview
50
50
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work history
Deputy Director of Estates and Facilities
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
2024.01 - 2026.03
Acting Director of Estates and Facilities
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
2021.01 - 2024.01
Deputy Director of Estates and Facilities
2017.01 - 2021.01
Head of Property Management and Compliance
2014.01 - 2017.01
Assistant Estates Director – Building
2003.01 - 2014.01
Senior Estates Officer / Head of Building
1989.01 - 2003.01
Estates Officer – Building
1985.01 - 1989.01
Architectural Technician
Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council
1978.01 - 1985.01
Trainee Architectural Technician
Jenkinson Palmer and Associates
1976.01 - 1978.01
Education
Higher Technician Certificate - Building Studies
Construction Technicians Certificate - undefined
Doncaster College / University Centre
Certification
- Chartered Construction Manager – MCIOB
- Chartered Building Engineer – MCABE
- Chartered Architectural Technologist – MCIAT
- NEBOSH Fire Safety and Risk Management
- NEBOSH Fire Safety Practical Application
- NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
- Fire Safety Manager – HTM 05 (City and Guilds Level 3)
- Fire Safety in Healthcare – HTM 05 (City and Guilds Level 3)
References
Available on request.
Professional Responsibility and Accountability
Within my role as Deputy Director of Estates and Facilities I hold significant professional responsibility for the safe management, statutory compliance and operational assurance of a complex NHS healthcare estate. I contribute to the strategic leadership and governance of estates infrastructure, facilities services and organisational safety systems supporting clinical services across a multi-site hospital environment.
In parallel with my estate’s leadership responsibilities, I undertake the functional role of Trust Senior Fire Safety Manager, providing strategic oversight of fire safety governance in accordance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and Department of Health HTM 05 Firecode guidance. This includes oversight of fire risk assessment programmes, fire safety policies, training arrangements, infrastructure compliance and liaison with regulatory authorities.
Through these roles I provide professional advice and assurance to senior leadership, governance committees and operational management teams, ensuring that fire safety considerations are fully integrated within estate management, infrastructure investment and organisational risk management processes.
Professional Context – Organisation and Estate
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a large multi-site acute healthcare organisation operating across Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Bassetlaw Hospital and Montagu Hospital, together with a number of satellite healthcare and outpatient facilities.
The Trust serves a population of over 420,000 people across South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire and operates with an annual turnover of approximately £660 million. As a Teaching Hospitals Trust, the organisation also supports clinical education and professional training for healthcare professionals and medical students across the region.
The Trust delivers a broad range of acute and community healthcare services including urgent and emergency care, elective and emergency surgery, maternity services, critical care, diagnostic imaging, outpatient services and rehabilitation. These services are supported by an estate extending to approximately 163,000 square metres of clinical and non-clinical accommodation across multiple hospital sites, comprising complex healthcare environments such as inpatient wards, operating theatres, critical care units, diagnostic and pathology facilities and specialist clinical departments operating on a 24-hour basis.
Professional Impact
- Over forty years’ experience in NHS estates and facilities management.
- Strategic leadership within a complex multi-site acute healthcare estate serving more than 420,000 people.
- Senior responsibility for governance of estate infrastructure, facilities services and statutory compliance systems across a large NHS healthcare organisation.
- Over twenty-five years’ involvement in fire safety management within healthcare premises.
Professional Expertise
- Strategic leadership and governance of estates and facilities services within complex NHS healthcare organisations.
- Oversight of estate infrastructure management, capital development programmes and statutory compliance systems in accordance with NHS Estates Code requirements.
- Strategic fire safety leadership ensuring compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and Department of Health HTM 05 Firecode guidance.
- Development of governance frameworks supporting statutory compliance across infrastructure safety systems including fire, water safety, asbestos and electrical safety.
- Leadership of multidisciplinary estates and facilities teams responsible for the safe operation of complex healthcare environments.
- Engagement with regulatory bodies, Fire and Rescue Authorities and Authorised Engineers to ensure compliance and continuous improvement in safety governance.
Strategic Fire Safety Leadership
- Alongside my estates leadership responsibilities I undertake the functional role of Trust Senior Fire Safety Manager, providing strategic oversight of fire safety management across the organisation in accordance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and Department of Health HTM 05 Firecode guidance. Key responsibilities include:
- Strategic oversight of fire safety management systems across the Trust estate
- Development and governance of fire safety strategy and fire risk assessment processes
- Monitoring organisational compliance with statutory fire safety requirements and healthcare fire safety guidance
- Liaison with South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service on matters relating to fire safety compliance and improvement programmes
- Professional liaison with the Trust Authorised Engineer (Fire) in accordance with HTM 05 requirements, providing independent technical assurance relating to fire safety governance and infrastructure compliance
- Oversight of fire safety training programmes and organisational fire safety policies
- Integration of fire safety considerations within estate development, infrastructure planning and capital investment programmes I have been directly involved in the governance and management of fire safety within the Trust for more than twenty-five years.
Estates Governance and Infrastructure Management
Within my role as Deputy Director of Estates and Facilities I contribute to the strategic management and governance of the Trust estate and facilities services.
The Estates and Facilities Directorate operates with an annual revenue budget of approximately £46 million and employs around 600 staff delivering operational, infrastructure and compliance services supporting healthcare delivery across the Trust estate.
The Trust also undertakes an annual capital investment programme of approximately £50 million supporting estate infrastructure improvements and clinical service development. Approximately £3 million per year is invested in fire safety infrastructure improvements including fire detection systems, compartmentation works, fire door replacement and fire risk assessment actions.
In my capacity as Trust Senior Fire Safety Manager I provide strategic fire safety advice in support of these programmes working closely with the Head of Capital, the Trust Authorised Engineer (Fire) and Fire and Rescue Services to ensure fire safety considerations are appropriately integrated into estate development and capital investment planning.
Governance Responsibilities
- Deputy Chair – Trust Fire Safety Committee
- Deputy Chair – Trust Health and Safety Committee
Continuing Professional Development
My continuing professional development focuses on strengthening fire safety governance, regulatory compliance and strategic risk management within healthcare estates.
As part of my ongoing professional development, I have enrolled on the Level 4 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment at Wirral Fire Safety Training (WFST) Liverpool Academy which I will undertake during the coming year to further strengthen my professional competence in fire risk assessment practice.
Timeline
Deputy Director of Estates and Facilities
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
2024.01 - 2026.03
Acting Director of Estates and Facilities
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
2021.01 - 2024.01
Deputy Director of Estates and Facilities
2017.01 - 2021.01
Head of Property Management and Compliance
2014.01 - 2017.01
Assistant Estates Director – Building
2003.01 - 2014.01
Senior Estates Officer / Head of Building
1989.01 - 2003.01
Estates Officer – Building
1985.01 - 1989.01
Architectural Technician
Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council
1978.01 - 1985.01
Trainee Architectural Technician
Jenkinson Palmer and Associates
1976.01 - 1978.01
Construction Technicians Certificate - undefined
Doncaster College / University Centre