Healthcare

Seamless, end-to-end IDIS video tech provides powerful upgrade path for Southern Health NHS hospital

  • IndustryHealthcare
  • CustomerElmleigh Hospital
  • RegionUK
  • IDIS PartnersGaleco Communications

Background

Trustworthy CCTV needed to ensure highest standards of patient care

Southern Health NHS Trust is continuing to modernise its facilities across Hampshire, in an ongoing programme to improve care outcomes for patients with complex and sometimes challenging mental health needs, including vulnerable adolescents and adults. The latest development phase involves a major upgrade of CCTV at the trust’s Elmleigh hospital, where careful and sensitive use of video surveillance is key to safeguarding patients, allowing them to safely use facilities both inside and outdoors, and preparing them to return home and re-enter the community

Challenges

Safety and resource efficiency are top priorities at busy mental health facility

The Trust’s priority is to provide the most effective care for patients who sometimes exhibit challenging behaviour, while also protecting those around them, including staff and visitors. It’s important for clinicians to maintain full visibility across the wide range of facilities at the centre, including the two 17-bed wards, visitor rooms, recreational facilities, outdoor courtyards, and a seclusion room where patients are assessed following admission Medics need to be able to respond quickly to incidents, with access to an accurate record of events allowing any concerns around patient care or behaviour to be investigated by the police and NHS authorities. Maintaining a consistently high standard of service can be difficult at times of peak demand when staff are overstretched due to resource pressures or absences. Surveillance monitoring is a vital tool for overcoming these challenges, however the existing system at Elmleigh was limited in scope and needed to be easily scaled. A comprehensive and flexible solution was needed, and it would have to be installed with minimal downtime, without disrupting patient care.

Solution

A powerful, affordable video solution carefully planned and sensitively delivered

Galeco Communications was asked to deliver an end-to-end IDIS video solution comprising 44 IDIS 12MP IR Super Fisheye cameras, 8 5MP bullet cameras and 12 2MP vandalresistant IR Dome cameras. At the same time, they were asked to retain and extend the IDIS system already installed in the seclusion zone. Spot monitors in each ward would allow activity to be monitored locally, while the entire system would be managed and administered by authorised users from a central control room. Using switches specific to each ward, Galeco reduced installation time and costs. Uniquely, the IDIS switches provide Elmleigh with a network typography of the whole end-to-end system, showing the port, bandwidth and power usage of each camera. And instead of running cable for all cameras back to the to DR-6332PS-SA 32-channel 4K recorders in the control room, each camera is linked the short distance to each switch, with just a single cable from each ward. The federated architecture also improves redundancy, adding a further layer of protection on top of smart failover inherent in all IDIS cameras. Across indoor locations, IDIS Super Fisheyes ensure comprehensive coverage with unparalleled dewarping performance, in live view and playback providing ultra-high-definition video footage and delivering significant cost savings compared to using three to four traditional fixed lens cameras. The Galeco team mounted bullet and dome cameras at safe heights to prevent tampering and allow staff to watch over patients using outside facilities including courtyards and gardens and make it easy to monitor entrances. The hospital now benefits from external sharp image capture 24/7, thanks to true WDR and in darkness at distances up to 30m, thanks to built-in IR. IDIS’s NDAA-compliant cameras also benefit from intelligent functions such as alarms for tampering, motion detection, trip zones as well as auto-tracking. Completing the project, Galeco added one further safety measure, applying anti-pick sealant between the cameras and the mounting surfaces.

Results and Benefits

A six-week successful project transforms safety and security for patients and staff

Over six weeks Galeco’s engineers worked efficiently, with sensitivity to the live environment, thanks to rapid plug-and-play and seamless connectivity of all IDIS DirectIP® devices. With no technical snags to worry about, they were able to establish rapport with patients and, rather than causing disruption, as the project rolled-out their presence made a positive contribution to daily life at the hospital. The completed system delivers on all the objectives set: improved care standards, increased operational efficiency, reduced pressure on staff, and an assured record of all activity across the entire hospital that allows incidents to be investigated and reports filed quickly. IDIS hardware is also protected by extended warranties, which, together with no ongoing VMS licence fees, gives Southern Health the full benefit of a low total cost of ownership.

“Over several years we have established absolute confidence in IDIS video technology, which is easy to use and gives us the quality coverage that we need and low ongoing lifecycle costs. We were impressed with the efficient and sensitive approach of the Galeco team in delivering this project, working alongside vulnerable patients, and installing equipment outside of essential therapy sessions, while ensuring the project was delivered on time and budget.“

Rob Thomas
Head of Security,
Southern Health NHS Trust