Kaba Door Systems has installed 19 sets of bespoke automatic single sliding door packages at Colchester General Hospital as part of a continuous improvement of patient dignity and privacy there.
The Kaba SLX single sliding door packages have been incorporated into new ward bays, sectioning the main ward into smaller six bed areas. Each 4.2 m wide door was designed to give a clear opening width of 2 m, allowing easy access for beds, equipment, and wheelchairs etc. Manifestations positioned at eye level ensure privacy for patients, and activation is via touch-less pads, helping to fight infection spread. Additionally, porters have multi-channel remote controls which will activate any of the 19 doors on approach, providing unhindered access when beds, patients, and equipment, are moved. The 2.2 metre wide pocket side screens are inlaid with dry wipe boards. Kaba points out that a recent Chief Nursing Officer’s report into mixed sex hospital accommodation, entitled “Privacy and Dignity”, highlights ward bay doors as one of the ways both can be enhanced. Colchester General Hospital’s commitment to the recommendations also includes installation of additional bathrooms, clearer signage, and the division of wards into male and female areas.
