With the safety and security of all hospital users paramount, the need to safeguard valuable equipment against theft, and NHS security breaches on the rise, can estates and facilities managers afford to compromise when it comes to security in healthcare facilities?
Tina Hughan, marketing director at one of the world’s leading door opening, locking, security, and access control product specialists, Assa Abloy, discusses how both accessibility and whole-life costing must be taken into consideration when implementing security measures to ensure the highest level of patient safety and quality of care.
Hospitals, GPs’ surgeries, and residential care homes, generally deal with a large number of people, including permanent and temporary staff, patients, and visitors. With such a transient population, the security of high-value equipment and confidential information needs to be of the highest priority.
On his first day as NHS England’s chief executive, Simon Stevens, said that the health service was enduring ‘the most sustained budget crunch’ in its 66-year history. Although budgets are tight, it is crucial that estates and facilities managers do not compromise security by installing a system, or a product, based on a minor cost advantage at the beginning of its lifecycle, that will not stand the test of time, since this will result in more money being spent over a longer period, eradicating any initial savings.
Log in or register FREE to read the rest
This story is Premium Content and is only available to registered users. Please log in at the top of the page to view the full text.
If you don't already have an account, please register with us completely free of charge.
