New mental health hospital has winning safety combination

Health Wed, Mar 23, 2016 9:58 AM

A brand new mental health unit in Lancashire is pioneering the way in terms of design, layout and safety with state of the art facilities and safety credentials.

The Harbour, a 154 bed unit near Blackpool, has a selection of products from the Anti-ligature and Door Protection range by leading manufacturer Intastop Ltd including its Door Top Alarm, SecuraHinge, Double Swing Hinges and Removable Door Stop which deliver a winning safety combination.

“Patient safety and comfort was at the very heart of this new mental health facility and we wanted to ensure that the best products in the market were commissioned,” commented .Alistair Rose Project Director Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust.

“These products from Intastop ensured that our patients and staff were able to remain independent yet safe and delivered additional benefits in terms of easy access in emergency situations. It was a pleasure dealing with the Intastop team and we were impressed with their speed and quality of service in fulfilling our requirements.”

The Door Top Alarm is an anti-ligature system which works by a sensory devise being installed at the top of a standard door and, should a weight be applied, it will alert staff via a preferred method such as an audible alarm, visible light, staff indicator panel or via a pager or computer. The devise connects via the main power and is also compatible with most staff attack systems. Combined with the Double Swing Continuous Geared Hinge and the Removable Door Stop it completes a robust anti barricade door package thereby ensuring patient privacy and patient and staff safety at all times.

Furthermore, this unique patented anti barricade package provides swift opening in emergency situations and has been specifically developed for mental health units in line with the national strategy for suicide prevention. Whilst, in this instance, the products have been incorporated into a state-of-the-art new build facility they are also entirely suitable for retro-fit situations.

“Intastop was a natural choice for such a magnificent facility where patient safety and suicide prevention was imperative,” commented Mark Cowpland Associate at Gilling Dod Architects. “Intastop are experts in the specialist area of anti-ligature ironmongery for doors. We specified the unique Intastop frame mounted removable doorstop at The Harbour because it provides the safest solution to the staff should an anti-barricade situation occur. The staff are to one side of the door when they are opening the stop rather than in the path of the door opening should it be charged by the service user.

“Overall we have complete confidence in that Intastop will always deliver in both in terms of quality product and service.”

Sarah Barsby Marketing Director Intastop Ltd concluded; "The Harbour is a flagship mental health unit – a real blueprint for the future of mental health care in the UK - and we are very pleased to have our products helping to keep patients and staff safe.

"We constantly engage with customers to ascertain their needs and this winning combination of product ensures health and safety obligations in a variety of healthcare establishments are able to be met with ease and confidence.”