In light of the recent incident at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, many healthcare facilities have found themselves reassessing their own security measures. In the wake of this event, many questions have been raised – particularly, what can hospitals be doing to best protect the patients, staff, and visitors inside their building at any given time? This incident has acted as a wake-up call for many, with the NHS providing new guidance for healthcare facilities that encourages the review and upgrading of security systems across the board.
This blog is a succinct guide to the basics of healthcare security, discussing its importance and the best measures that can be taken to keep hospitals and clinics safe. For personalised advice regarding security installation, contact ai security for a consultation today.
The Importance of Hospital and Healthcare Security
Healthcare facilities are in a uniquely vulnerable position when it comes to security, yet effective safety measures are absolutely vital for hospitals and clinics. Particularly with the added difficulties of the pandemic, it is currently more important than ever that all healthcare facilities are fitted with the absolute best security installations available. Read on to discover our recommended security measures and why they are an imperative addition for keeping healthcare premises safe.
What Unique Challenges do Healthcare Facilities Face?
For healthcare facilities, adequate security is both absolutely vital and especially tricky to handle. With such large premises and a significant number of visitors passing through every single day, there are plenty of security threats faced by hospitals, medical centres, and other healthcare clinics every single day.
Hospitals have a wide range of expensive equipment on site that need to be protected, all whilst ensuring that the safety of patients and staff remains a top priority. Computers, IT equipment, and personal possessions are all a constant factor for healthcare facilities, and it is imperative that high-grade security technology is in place to keep these valuable safe.
5 Security for Hospitals Recommendations
- Access Control
Access control systems are one of the most effective ways you can be monitoring who is coming in and out of your facility. With a wide range of technologies available (ranging from audio systems to PIN passcodes), you can ensure that access to high-risk areas is only granted to those you need. With safety as an obvious priority, a benefit of access control systems is that they can be synced to alarms – ensuring that nobody is trapped behind doors they can’t open in an emergency. These systems protect patients, equipment, departments, and other important assets you need to keep safe.
- CCTV
As one of the most common security measures taken, CCTV provides careful monitoring across the entire precinct. Consistent recording and camera presence provide important information about anti-social or criminal events, documenting anything that may happen and giving you potential insight into incidents before they happen. CCTV allows you to notice something going awry before it gets out of control. However, this can be a tricky installation in healthcare facilities, as patient privacy is a factor that needs to be considered when placing cameras.
- Alarms
For obvious reasons, alarms are a key aspect of comprehensive security. With the sheer size of many healthcare facilities, quickly communicating an emergency to everybody inside the building is an imperative task. Not only that, but fire alarms are a legal obligation, so it is essential that you have the alarm installations you need to protect the precinct.
- Gates/Barriers
One of the most foundational levels of security a healthcare facility needs to consider is safe gates and barriers. Constructing fencing around the entire precinct allows for a secure border, limiting those coming in and out. Security gates can be adapted to fit the unique needs of healthcare facilities, such as installing gate automation for staff, which ensures entry is simple for those who need it and appropriately measured to limit those who don’t.
- Covid Measures
Over the last couple of years, healthcare facilities have had brand new hurdles to overcome. As high-risk sites, it is essential that appropriate security measures are taken to make sure that everybody entering the precinct is monitored and checked in. Systems such as InVentry work as an effective method of visitor management, providing options for temperature checking, presentation of Photo-ID, and keeping a thorough record of everybody who has entered the premises. Not only does this protect healthcare facilities from unwanted exposure, but also provides further security measures across the board.
Call Today for a Consultation
When it comes to healthcare, the safety of every single patient, visitor, and staff member is of utmost importance. With the sheer amount of expensive equipment and valuables, these hospitals and other facilities can sadly become a tempting target for many criminals. But, as outlined above, there are many effective security systems you can be installing to leave your facility in the safest position possible.
Call ai security today to discuss what installations and security measures we can be providing to keep your premises secure. The sooner you reach out, the sooner you can rest assured that your hospital or clinic is protected.
