Martyn’s Law – what it means for GP practices

Martyn’s Law (Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025) introduces new duties for certain public premises to have proportionate plans in place to protect the public in the event of a terrorist attack

Date published:
Date last updated:
Next review date:

For GP surgeries, the key points are:

  • The law applies only to premises where 200 or more people could reasonably be expected to be present at one time.
  • This means most GP surgeries will not be covered.
  • Larger health centres or hubs, especially those hosting multiple practices or running large vaccination clinics, may fall within the “standard duty” tier.

For those in scope, the duties are low-cost and procedural, not structural. They include:

  • Notifying the Security Industry Authority (SIA) as the regulator.
  • Having simple, proportionate procedures for evacuation, invacuation (taking cover), lockdown, and communication.
  • Ensuring staff are aware of these procedures and trained to act on them if needed.

The legislation will not come fully into force for at least two years, allowing time for implementation.

Related content