ADT, Europe’s leading provider of electronic fire and security solutions, has installed a fully-integrated IP access control security system at Glasgow’s new £180 million Stobhill and Victoria hospitals. This includes the industry’s first Power-over-Ethernet (POE) solution - a system that safely runs electrical power along with data to remote devices over an Ethernet network - to operate magnetic door locks, which has helped reduce cost, complexity and installation time.

Supplied by Tyco’s CEM Systems, the new system employs a high-speed fibre-optic IP network to deliver fully integrated CCTV, access control and intruder systems. Boasting a sophisticated suite of software modules, it offers the new hospitals every operational application needed to secure their environment, from professional staff ID badging to integrated DVR/CCTV control and central alarm monitoring.

Martin Bell, Integrated Solutions Group Account Manager for ADT Glasgow, said; “This system is ideal for the hospitals not only due to its versatility but also the savings accrued thanks to the innovative POE solution. This eliminates the need for local power sources and associated cabling as sufficient power is delivered through the network to control heavy-duty magnetic locks securing each door. This is a great advantage for the NHS Trust because both the complexity and labour costs for installation were reduced.

“Another key advantage of the system installed by ADT is its scalability - in comparison to a network controller that scales at four or eight doors at a time, this IP solution scales per door. In less scalable systems, a network controller failure might take four or eight doors out of operation. In this case, the loss of one controller in the IP system will only affect the operation of one door - which is ideal for keeping the hospitals secure and minimising disruption.”

The access control system ADT has installed includes a special module that provides the ability to monitor and control access for both permanent staff and temporary visitors, which is always a challenge in public healthcare environments. Access control cards have three functions - as well as providing security by limiting access to restricted areas to authorised personnel only, the cards can also be used as photo ID and as log-ons for services such as photocopying. The system shows control room operators an image of each person accessing restricted areas, thus providing additional reassurance. It is also linked to the CCTV and alarm system - allowing an image of an alarm activation to be shown to security staff immediately via live video, aiding a fast and appropriate response.

As part of a prestigious public/private sector partnership project, the new ambulatory care hospitals at Victoria and Stobhill represent a significant investment in National Health Services (NHS) and will mark a new era in UK patient care. Each site will feature four floors covering 30,000 square metres providing care for 400,000 patients, and will become two of Scotland’s largest hospitals.

Margaret Campbell, Commisioning Manager for Stobhill Hospital explains how the system will be adaptable in the future: “As the system leverages the existing NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde IT infrastructure, rather than just one of the hospitals, we are not limited to using this innovative new solution at the current site. The IP system can easily be extended to cover additional hospitals in the region, with access control cards working seamlessly across a number of sites within our network.”

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