Part of Networks and connectivity standards
Network cabling standards
Standards you should meet on copper cabling, optical fibre cabling and installation.
3.1 NHS organisations should use cabling that meets the latest structured cabling standards at all sites
Importance of meeting the standard
Network structured cabling is the foundational infrastructure that enables reliable wired and wireless connectivity across NHS healthcare environments. Clinical systems, medical devices, voice services and digital workflows depend on consistent network performance, and sub-standard or poorly designed cabling increases the risk of service degradation, limits future digital capability, and can directly impact clinical safety.
You should adopt the latest industry standard category cabling and fibre, which will provide greater data capacity than previous standards. It will therefore provide NHS organisations with the flexibility they need to underpin their networks.
When to meet the standard
- designing or constructing new healthcare premises
- carrying out major refurbishment or estate reconfiguration
- installing or replacing network cabling infrastructure
- making significant changes to network capacity, wireless deployment or clinical systems that increases dependency on connectivity
How to meet the standard
NHS organisations should adopt a structured cabling approach aligned to recognised international standards and healthcare best practice. Cabling infrastructure should be planned with sufficient capacity, flexibility and documentation to support current clinical services and future growth. Where clinical services depend on network availability, additional resilience should be incorporated in proportion to clinical risk.
You should confirm with your supplier or IT support that all cabling complies with BS 6701 and the BS EN 50173 and BS EN 50174 series, which collectively define the design, specification, installation, operation and maintenance requirements for structured network cabling.
Technical requirements to meet the standard
- network cabling is designed and installed in accordance with recognised structured cabling standards (such as ISO/IEC 11801 or EN 50173 / EN 50174)
- structured cabling supports the latest industry standards (currently CAT6A copper) where optical fibre is used for backbone connections required by distance, performance or resilience, OM4 or better multi-mode fibre is installed
- all cabling installations must be tested, certified, labelled and documented
- no intermediate splices or patch panels should be used in the cable runs
- the minimum bend radius should not be exceeded
- patch leads should be the same type and standard as the installed cable
- for new installations, cabling should comply with fire rating requirements defined in the latest version of British Standards
- cable containment and channels should fully support the cables and apply separation from other types of cable and sources of interference
- the installed cable length should not be greater than the manufacturers specification
Aligns to the following DSPT principles:
| Principle | How it supports |
|---|---|
| Resilient networks and systems | Clean, documented data paths make secure design and monitoring more effective. |
| Asset management | Passive infrastructure is tested, recorded and managed through its lifecycle. |
Last edited: 4 August 2026 3:54 pm