FACILITIES and security staff at a hospital trust have secured a top award for the third year in a row.

The team at East Lancashire Hospitals Trust (ELHT) was successful in the Hospital Security category at the Health Business Awards, which recognises excellence in NHS facilities.

Members of the facilities and security teams received the award from media medical personality Dr Phil Hammond at a London ceremony.

Patient feedback in the national PLACE and NHS England surveys had shown secure provision at bedside for the security of valuables, while in-patients on hospital wards were a priority.

This galvanised the team into working with Darwen-based company Teal to develop the patient bedside lockers and design a secure storage system, the first of its kind in the country.

Working with the trust, Teal designed a special drawer in the bedside locker that can only be locked and unlocked using a radio frequency ID wristband.

The wristband is programmed by staff on a patient’s arrival on the ward ensuring they can safely store their personal belongings during their stay if they chose, and is fully compliant with infection control procedures.

The successful introduction of the new lockers has resulted in the number of claims for lost or stolen property being reduced by a third.