Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital is an example of a hospital that has been provided with an access control system.
Assa, an Assa Abloy brand, supplied the 450-bed hospital – which is operated by the Basingstoke and North Hampshire NHS Foundation Trust, and provides acute health services to a population of around 300,000 patients across Hampshire and west Berkshire – with a smart new security system.
Assa SMARTair offered a convenient and cost-effective answer to a frequently encountered problem. Previously the hospital had a number of push-button combination door locks across the site that were controlled by individual departments. With 2,800 employees, there had been occasions when security personnel had to force entry to access a room, for example if a staff member was absent, or hadn’t shared their pass code. Keen to prevent such situations reoccurring, the hospital sought a solution that could be managed centrally.
Using ‘intelligent’ SMARTair software, the system not only allows each hospital department to fully control staff access without sharing or revealing private user information, but also ensures that members of the security team can easily override doors and gain immediate entry.
A ‘credential card’
Specified by David Spendlove, technical sales manager at Fareham-based security partner, Access Key and Lock, the system grants access through a credential card. SMARTair was able to integrate with the hospital’s existing access control system, allowing staff to use a single, multifunctional card, which also serves as a staff identification method.
A battery-powered unit, SMARTair features sophisticated monitoring capability, and can provide audit reports to show who has accessed a room.
The system is easily retrofitted to existing locks and key systems, reducing the inconvenience of hardwiring a full access control system.
Simon Wilson, national sales manager at Assa Abloy Security Solutions, said: “Within healthcare environments, it is vital that any form of security is convenient, cost-effective, and ensures maximum safety for staff and patients. It is great to hear that SMARTair has provided a real solution for Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital. The cost of the SMARTair system is also substantially lower than that of integrating a full access control system, meaning that it is possible to substantially upgrade security levels even if budgets are tight.”
