Pictured: Jed Morris, Security and Governance Manager with Trust staff receiving their award from Dr Phil Hammond.
Facilities and Security staff at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust are celebrating after scooping a top award for the third year in a row. The team was successful in the ‘Hospital Security’ category at the Health Business Awards, which recognises excellence in NHS facilities. Members of the Facilities and Security teams received the award from media medical personality, Dr Phil Hammond at a London ceremony.
Patient feedback in the national PLACE and NHS England surveys had shown secure provision at bedside for the security of valuables while inpatients on hospital wards was a priority. This galvanised the team into working with local Darwen based company Teal, to develop the patient bedside lockers and design a secure storage system; the first of its kind in the country.
Working with the Trust, Teal designed a special drawer in the patient’s bedside locker that can only be locked and unlocked using a radio frequency ID wristband. The wristband is programmed by staff on a patient’s arrival on the ward ensuring they can safely store their personal belongings during their stay if they chose, and is fully compliant with infection control procedures.
The successful introduction of the new lockers has resulted in the number of claims for lost or stolen property being reduced by a third.
Jed Morris, Security and Governance Manager at the Trust, said: “We are very pleased to have won this award. The team has worked extremely hard to improve the patient experience and environment through innovative new ideas. Our main focus was that patients feel confident in the security of their belongings during their stay. This relatively simple, yet ingenious system has enable that; reducing losses and generating really positive feedback from our patients.”