SERVICE-USER AND STAFF SAFETY
The UK’s socio-economic development will remain pivotal in creating care that embraces the fluidity of its requirements while ensuring that access to such care is consistent across the nations
that timeframe. To support this there is a £2.3 m ring-fenced fund that will focus on core services
The SECURA Stop multi-lock removable doorstop and a privacy vision panel.
support their recovery and keep them and staff safe.
Vision panels in doors are hugely effective in this respect, and come in a range of options to enable safe monitoring. Ranges such as the Secura Vision Panel offer added strength, with no hole in the glass, in addition to highly secure, softened edge stainless steel surrounds, and testing to the Medium Secure Abuse Standard and 250,000 cycles.
Coping with the challenges ahead, but providing the solutions So, as you can see, the infrastructure of the healthcare facility plays a hugely important part in delivering the highest standards of care across all aspects of the mental health sector. The effectiveness of building design, appropriate product specification, and anti-ligature provisions, should not be underestimated. The total cost of mental ill health in England is estimated at £105 billion per year, and with an economy that is currently under significant pressure, it has never been more important to continue
Phil Barsby and Intastop
Phil Barsby, director of Business Development for Intastop, has been with the company for over 16 years. Having started out as Sales director, he was appointed director of Business Development in 2013, and has been instrumental in the strategic direction the company has taken over the past 10 years.
Intastop was born from the staple Aluminium Door Edge Guard product, and, through excellent relationships with customers, and an emphasis on customer service, Phil Barsby and the company’s other directors have expanded the product offering, and embarked on a development strategy which ‘continually brings new and innovative products to the healthcare market’, including the Door Top Alarm and Continuous Geared Hinge.
Also Treasurer on the board of the Design in Mental Health Network, his ‘vision for the future’ encompasses a drive to ensure that regulations around mental healthcare products continue to be at the forefront of legislation. For Intastop, his ‘vision’ continues to be ‘delivering exceptional customer service, while addressing the needs of changing industry and environmental demands through a programme of product enhancement and development’.
24 OCTOBER 2020 | THE NETWORK
developing best practice care, and to ensure that care facilities are equipped to allow these high levels of care, with suicide prevention one of the key goals. Being aware of what may be ahead means that now is the perfect time to invest in ensuring that all facilities are future-proofed. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has recently warned that mental illness will be ‘the second pandemic’, and the impact this could have on core services may prove to be worrying. Preparing for the challenges ahead may give NHS Trusts more resilience and adaptability to support those most vulnerable in our communities. In 2016 NHS England outlined its ‘Five Year Forward Plan’, and this has delivered significant changes to the way mental health is handled in the UK. Now, the Long Term Plan from the NHS, pertaining to mental health services between 2019/20 and 2023/24, which is complementary to the Five Year Forward Plan, recognises that an estimated two million extra people will need to call on these services during
Facilities must be fit-for-purpose Coupled with the strategic plan to deliver enhanced services that are accessible to more people and deliver great effectiveness, it must also be remembered that the facilities to support these people must also be fit for purpose, particularly for those who pose a risk to themselves or others. In practical terms, it is important to choose products that stand the test of time, are as well suited to retrofit scenarios as they are to new-build, and support all elements of the individual mental healthcare plan. That is why the team at Intastop will continue to work with key industry partners to find new and enhanced ways of protecting patients and staff in the delivery of mental healthcare.
Working together
The UK’s socio-economic development will remain pivotal in creating care that embraces the fluidity of its requirements while ensuring that access to such care is consistent across the nations. It should also recognise cultural differences and other influencers which can impact on the requirements of patients and service-users. As a nation we should be encouraging the ongoing open communication channels, and ensuring both that the right care is provided in a safe and timely manner, and that infrastructure is built to support those with the most severe needs. If we work together to develop cohesive care, our mental health sector looks set to make continued improvements in the years ahead.
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