Control of the Airlock (Amber Lodge Forensic Service) Standard Operating Procedure

Transcription

1 Control of the Airlock (Amber Lodge Forensic Service) Standard Operating Procedure DOCUMENT CONTROL: Version: 3 Ratified by: Quality and Safety Sub Committee Date ratified: 4 September 2017 Name of originator/author: Forensic Service Management Team Name of responsible Clinical Quality Group committee/individual: Date issued: 28 September 2017 Review date: July 2018 (Annual Review) Target Audience All staff, patients and visitors to Amber Lodge Low Secure Unit

2 1. AIM This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been developed to ensure safe access and egress to Amber Lodge Low Secure Unit. 2. SCOPE This policy applies to the Control of the Airlock for all staff, patients and visitors to Amber Lodge Low Secure Unit, and forms part of the Low Secure Care Standards requirements. 3. LINK TO OVERARCHING POLICY AND/OR PROCEDURE; This SOP is overarched by the Security Policy (Amber Lodge Forensic Service) 4. PROCEDURE 4.1 The airlock The airlock is comprised of the front entrance area to Amber Lodge, the external entrance door lock which is controlled by a magnetic device and a set of internal doors which are also controlled by magnetic locks. Each set of doors operates separately and independently from the other set, however both sets of doors are interlocked such that one set of doors has to be closed before the other will open i.e. the internal doors cannot be opened until the external doors have been closed and vice versa. The airlock is the area between these two sets of doors. Also situated in the airlock are: The reception area with a window which separates the admin reception team from the airlock itself. Visitor s lockers for storing restricted or prohibited items, bags and other valuables unless required for the visit and must remain under the visitor s constant supervision. Fire panel. Attack alarm cabinet (key pad operated). In the event of a fire, the fire alarm should sound and a metal fire shutter will descend in front of the admin window. The external front doors should automatically unlock but the internal doors should remain locked however they can be unlocked via the electronic fingerprint key pad system or by key switch override. All staff, patients and visitors should congregate in the dining room, as per fire procedures to enable a check that everyone is present and accounted for. If evacuation is required via the front entrance staff will invoke the Emergency Planning Policy to evacuate the building. This is located in the staff office and on K drive for Amber Lodge in the folder titled Emergency Planning. Page 2 of 5

3 4.2 Entering the Airlock from outside the building Outside of the entrance to Amber Lodge there is an electronic fingerprint key pad on the external wall adjacent to the front door. Amber Lodge staff will be able to utilise this to gain entry into the airlock. Visitors and staff who are escorting patients should press the buzzer on the key pad which will alert staff in the Admin office (or the Nurses office if out-of-hours ) and the door release button will be pressed to allow access into the airlock. A maximum of 4 people should be in the airlock at any time. There is also an intercom device integral to the key pad. A receiver is located in both the admin and staff offices to enable staff to communicate with visitors via the intercom. A CCTV camera is also in operation outside the external front doors, plus a camera within the internal front doors. Monitors for the cameras are located in both the admin and nursing offices. Once a person has gained entry into the airlock, a staff member will ascertain the purpose of the visit and check the identification of the person requesting entry into Amber Lodge. Once the visit is validated then the visitor will be allowed access to the unit through the internal doors, facilitated by ward staff. Amber Lodge Staff: All staff are required to secure all restricted and prohibited items in the lockers provided. No restricted or prohibited items are to be taken onto patient areas. Staff will collect their security alarm from the cabinet in reception and then upon entering the clinical area, they collect their keys from the electronic keytracker system, secure their keys to lanyard and to their person. They are to remain secure on their person at all times. Staff sign for receipt of keys, collect a pager and check that all equipment is in working order and sign to confirm that they have collected all equipment and checked they are in working order before commencement of duty. Amber Lodge Patients: All patients will be signed into the appropriate signing in/out sheet located in the airlock. Access and egress is controlled by staff who will adhere to Section 17 protocol to ensure patients are signed in and out and do not bring restricted items onto the unit. Individual care plans are in place for all patients following Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT) assessment and all staff should ensure they are familiar with these prior to any patient leaving the unit. Page 3 of 5

4 Visitors: All visitors will be asked to identify the purpose of their visit and sign into the visitors signing in/out book. Visitors will be required to sign the restricted items check list and to secure any restricted and prohibited items in the lockers provided in the airlock. Visitors will be given a security alarm. Any visitor refusing to adhere to the restricted item policy will be denied access to Amber Lodge. Nursing staff will then meet visitors on the internal side of the airlock to escort them onto the clinical area. Children are not allowed to visit Amber Lodge. All visits with children need to be pre-arranged and planned away from the unit in adjacent buildings with facilities to support the visit. All patient risk assessments and arrangements need to be completed prior to any visit being agreed or taking place. Other Trust / Maintenance Staff: Trust staff who do not work for the Forensic Business Division, should follow the visitors instructions but additionally if bringing any tools onto the area, they should complete the signing in sheet for restricted/ prohibited items. (Please refer to Amber Lodge Standard Operating Procedure for Management of Prohibited and Restricted items). 4.3 Leaving Amber Lodge: The following procedure must be followed:- Amber Lodge staff: All staff working on Amber Lodge must return their keys back into the electronic keytracker system and sign to confirm that keys and pager has been returned. Amber Lodge staff can gain entry to the airlock by using the electronic fingerprint key pad. Staff will return their security alarm in the cabinet, be able to collect any restricted and prohibited items stored in the lockers provided. Failure to follow correct security procedures may result in disciplinary action. Visitors and Maintenance Staff: All Forensic Staff working on Amber Lodge will ensure safe access and egress for all visitors and maintenance staff to the unit when appropriate. 4.4 Deliveries to Amber Lodge All deliveries to the unit should be via the airlock this includes: Food Trolley Regional Distribution Centre (RDC) supplies Pharmacy Page 4 of 5

5 4.5 Actions to take in the event of malfunction of the airlock: In the event of any malfunction of the airlock doors, this must be reported to the nurse in charge immediately. The nurse in charge will ensure the area is secure by using the override key for the system, which is locked in the safe in the admin office for security purposes and contact Estates immediately. An IR1 must be raised as soon as practicably and all senior managers informed. Page 5 of 5