SECURITY DAVID HUGHES – HEAD OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT, COMELIT-PAC, UK
Managing of healthcare security within hospitals
While hospitals are, by their very nature, accessible spaces, entry to certain areas must be restricted. Here, David Hughes, head of product management at Comelit-PAC, explains how the latest technology can be used to combine accessibility with the reassurance of security for patients and their families.
Hospitals are among the most complex public environments. They operate around the clock, bringing together patients, visitors, staff, contractors, and emergency services across large, multi-site, multi- building campuses. Within a single hospital facility, you may
find an accident and emergency department, maternity wards, pharmacies, research labs, digital infrastructure hubs, and administrative offices. Each of these spaces is vital, and each demands a specific approach to safety and security. Providing care is only one part of the
challenge. Healthcare sites must also manage the safety of people, the protection of valuable medicines and equipment and the security of highly sensitive information. With patients, doctors, surgeons, staff
and visitors milling the halls of hospitals every day, security and safety at healthcare facilities are important for both quality healthcare and public safety. Hospital security departments and staff
are especially challenged to provide safe environments for employees, patients, and visitors. These needs are interdependent. If staff
feel unsafe, their ability to deliver care is compromised. If a pharmacy is not properly secured, vital supplies can be lost. If patient data is breached, trust in the institution suffers. In the NHS, this connection between security and care is widely recognised.
Blackpool Victoria Hospital Women and Childrens Unit.
National guidelines stress that security is not an afterthought but a core part of healthcare delivery. Hospitals must remain open and
accessible, but they cannot allow unrestricted entry to every space. The requirement is to combine accessibility and reassurance for patients and families with the highest levels of control where it is essential. There is also a need to consider
aesthetics and provide a welcoming and calming environment that supports patients, staff, and visitor health and wellbeing; therefore, any security technology must be strategically placed, unobtrusive, and not affect the aesthetics of a healthcare facility.
David Hughes David Hughes is the head of product management at Comelit-
PAC, where he drives the strategic direction and development of the PAC Access Control and GDX Door Entry solutions. With over 15 years of experience in product leadership, he has
successfully launched and scaled a range of cloud-based and on-premises platforms, as well as innovative controllers, across commercial, residential, and high-security sectors worldwide. David brings a deep understanding of market needs and a user-
centric mindset, fostering agile, cross-functional collaboration with both internal teams and external development partners.
94 These pressures are only intensifying.
Demand for treatment continues to grow, budget and resources are under strain, and new smart technologies are attempting to transform the way healthcare is organised without disruption. Systems must be resilient and adaptable, able to respond to the day-to-day realities of modern hospital life while preparing for future change.
The security landscape in healthcare Hospitals face security challenges that are different in scope and scale from almost any other sector. They are always open to the public, yet they also contain some of the most sensitive and highly regulated spaces in society. Patients must be able to enter hospital
sites quickly and without delay, whether they are arriving for scheduled treatment, urgent care, or to visit relatives. Emergency departments are designed to be open to anyone who needs help. This accessibility is essential, but it can also create vulnerabilities. When movement is difficult to monitor, the risks include theft, unauthorised entry to wards, or disruption to clinical work. Within the same hospital that welcomes people through its doors every day are areas that demand strict control. Maternity wards need strong protections for
IFHE DIGEST 2026
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