In Inverness, Raigmore Hospital has had electromechanical locks fitted for facilities management and security purposes.
NHS Raigmore provides surgical, medical, clinical support as the only district general hospital in the NHS Highland Partnership. Raigmore has eight floors, over 2,800 staff and over 450 beds. The size of the estate requires a facilities management team to oversee building maintenance and environmental services. Plant rooms, high and low voltage rooms and roof hatches are accessed daily to maintain the building; besides, a helipad needs opening when air ambulance need to land.
NHS Raigmore approached the physical security product company Abloy UK to discuss key management that could meet regulations, be able to monitor the use of keys and revoke access from lost or stolen keys. The product manufacturer recommended its eCLIQ, web-based locking and key management product, whose cylinders do not require a power output. The system was installed throughout the estate, with 82 locks fitted by Raigmore’s facilities management staff and 42 keys issued to staff and contractors.
eCLIQ uses web management software providing data on when, where and by who the keys are used. Facilities management have an overview and control of access, as the system logs the time and user of the key every time it’s used. If problems occur, a user can determine who last entered the room. A risk of unauthorised access is reduced as the web management software controls validation and revoking of keys. Likewise, former employees who do not return their key will no longer have access because their key can be removed from the system.
As for air emergencies, staff no longer need to locate the helipad key to access the pad. Authorised personnel can use their specific key to unlock the pad, which can prove vital when time is a factor in giving a patient life-saving care. Colin McEwen, Design Lead – Estate Management, NHS Raigmore, said: “New legislation required connectivity of assets. Rory at Abloy suggested eCLIQ as a solution, and the mechanical locks combined with the benefits that connectivity offers have proved a great asset to the hospital. Previously, when a key gets lost, the only way to ensure security was maintained was to change our cylinders. eCLIQ has negated this, saving us money and time. We have set access to coincide with staff shift-patterns and any attempted access out of these times is revoked. The system has also made it easier to see who is accessing rooms. We found the cylinders easy to install, and the support provided by Abloy has helped us transition smoothly to this electromechanical system.”
