This particular standard was discussed earlier-on I think. I have issues concerning how the rationales for this particular standard seem to classify applied parts, for the purposes of testing, to the exclusion of equipment enclosure (this is Ged Dean's interpretation as far as I'm aware but he is quite correct according to the particular standard).
The general issue of interpretation of what's enclosure and what's applied parts was raised, out of the blue, earlier in the year, at an IEE seminar I attended, at Savoy Place, concerning the forthcoming changes in medical device standards so it's one that's been concerning the people that are involved with writing them.
It was my understanding that the parts of the standards leading to general mis-interpretation and confusion associated with applied parts and enclosure tests may be addressed in the new standards. The rationale for the application of general standards and the particular standards seem to be at odds in this case it seems to me - hence the to-ing and fro-ing regards interpretations earlier-on in the thread. We can discuss whether particular standards override general standards regarding issues of general electrical safety until the cows come home I suppose.
It's clear that electrical safety testing using test equipment to medical standards is necessary at manufacture given the classification of the equipment. The issues are whether this level of testing is required for routine maintenance. My own view is that yes medical grade electrical safety testers are required for routine electrical safety tests upon medical equipment as long as testing is confined to non-destructive tests or tests that do not stress components unecessarily of course.
As a general point, PAT testing only covers a tiny fraction of what EN 60601-1 entails.
Yes the collateral, particular and any normative standards associated with 60601-1 would be the starting point I suppose but we are only really concerned with routine tests to ensure on-going safety not type-tests such as those carried out be a notified body, i.e. test-house.