Safesee Door

Britplas drew upon their extensive knowledge and experience as the number one in mental health fenestration to develop an anti-ligature door that would allow distance monitoring in addition to a product that was multi-functional, and addressed all the concerns raised in relation to ligature and provision of access in a barricade situation.

DESIGN APPROACH AND VALUES

We had the end user at the forefront of our minds throughout the designing of this door. The new silent observation panel prevents the unnecessary disturbance of a patients sleep. A good nights rest is very therapeutic and this one innovation alone could reduce the length of a patients stay in hospital. The fact that time of each observation is logged makes it less likely that a period of observation will be missed. Therefore the patient is more likely to get the protection they require during their stay.

Instant staff access in a barricade situation is a very positive move forward for a mental health door, as saving time can save lives. The anti-ligature alarm goes without saying.

SUSTAINABILITY

The doors are of a more robust construction than most existing bedroom doors. They are far less likely to need replacing during their lifetime. Their use allows hospital corridors to be constructed without recessing the door areas (needed for outward opening doors) therefore substantially reducing the footprint on the hospital. Manufactured or sourced under ISO 14001:2004. Subject to strict ethical and environmental sustainability procedures.

FUNCTION AND COST-BENEFIT

The door is as easy to use as any other door, yet it benefits from some enhancing benefits such as anti-finger trap, anti-ligature hinges; SafeSee programmable electronic observation panel; programmable anti-ligature detection and an unobtrusive, instant anti-barricade system. It allows for staff to spend more time with patients as it reduces the need to complete paperwork after every observation. A note of the time and the member of staff is logged automatically as each observation takes place. The swift entry into any room facilitated by the new anti-barricade system makes the destruction of doors to gain entry a thing of the past, and it allows us to use stronger materials to construct the door from which will extend the working life of the door.

INNOVATION

The innovations inherent in our product are there for the protection and wellbeing of the patient. Ligature detection, instant entry (without tools), privacy with dignity and undisturbed sleep. The registering of all electronic activity on the door protects staff and patients alike.

Problem - Observation panels are mainly the striped sliding glass type providing restricted observation due to their stripes, and they are noisy. The noise is an issue because the patients are disturbed while making night observations. Sleep is a time of healing and waking a patient at regular intervals throughout the night is both frustrating and counterproductive. These observations can be heard around the ward and can warn a patient that may be planning self-harm. An outside curtain can alleviate noise but privacy then becomes the issue as any patients can then look into another s room.

Britplas Solution - The SafeSee door provides an unrestricted view instantly using a member of staff s existing swipe card. This operation is silent. It also makes an instant electronic log of the time and which member of staff carried it out. This then provides an auditable record should an investigation be required.

Problem - Many mental health units have doors opening outwards. This is to prevent barricade situations. Having the door opening out helps but an opening out door provides a weapon to use against passers-by or as a shield to hide behind. Opening in is far preferable. There are a number of anti barricade door jam products that can release an inwardly opening door and allow it to swing outwards. They are either a push button type that can put the operator at risk, or a full jam version where tools are required to operate them. This takes time. In many barricade situations instant access is required to prevent harm.

Britplas Solution - The SafeSee door allows staff instant access using their existing staff swipe card. No looking for tools, no risk, simply instant access. The fact that the access has been triggered (time and who by) is registered on the electronic log should a follow up investigation be required.

Problem - It has proved impossible (so far) to create an anti-ligature door. The next best thing is to know when a ligature is taking place. There have been attempts to allow this by placing rubber strips with wires inside along the top of a door. However they have proved to be a toy for the patients to annoy staff with. Also, if the patient attaches a ligature to any other point on the door (above the hinge, on the lock etc.) no alarm will be raised.

Britplas Solution - The SafeSee Door has a programmable anti-ligature sensor that makes the whole of the door a set of scales. Therefore, if a ligature is attached to any point on the door, that weight is registered. The trigger weight for the alarm (silent or audible, nurse s station or beeper) can be chosen by the design team and changed at anytime. If the user group is adult males a trigger weight of 40kg my be chosen, with a delay before alarm of 8 seconds. If the user group changes to adolescents with eating disorders a weight of say 15kg with a delay of 6 seconds may be chosen. This is all quickly and easily programmable by staff on their own computers. Any ligature incident is also instantly logged on the system should any subsequent investigation be required. The SafeSee software for doors is supplied with them and loaded onto your computer during installation.