Protecting patients, property, and places

Safeguarding patients and staff, protecting confidential data, and securing expensive equipment, are just some of the key security demands that the health service faces on a daily basis. Here, Tina Hughan, marketing director at Assa Abloy UK, the global specialist in door opening solutions, considers some of the key security issues within healthcare facilities, as well as how access control and mechanical technology are tackling them.

The safety of patients, staff, and visitors, is a primary security demand within any healthcare environment. Patients and visitors need to be able to navigate safely, and with ease, through public areas such as waiting rooms in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, while doctors, nurses, and other staff members, need to be able to gain further access easily when required. Special consideration is also needed to protect staff, especially in hospitals that are more open, and house more than just acute or emergency care facilities. All this needs to be balanced with the requirement to provide easy access for smaller or frailer hospital users, such as children and older people, and those with injuries and disabilities that may have difficulty opening heavy doors. 

Due to the transient population in hospitals, it can be difficult to strike a balance in affording members of the public and healthcare professionals the correct level of access. The safety requirement for swift and safe egress in the event of fire or emergency further complicates security specifications for estates and security managers.