Based in central London, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust has two of the largest hospitals in the UK, employing 13,000. In April 2011, the Trust took over community services in Lambeth and Southwark. The Trust ‘inherited’ 471 personal safety devices, bought from the NHS’ 2009 Lone Worker Framework Agreement.
The trust’s Head of Security, Portering and Reception Services, Jayne King, had the task to ensure the lone worker system protected the community-based staff. Jayne found that the incumbent system relied on cell ID location based software, and many of the staff were not comfortable with using the devices. Jayne evaluated lone worker protection providers on the market. Skyguard’s MySOS device was chosen as a replacement, due to its use of GPS which sends the alarm location during an emergency and allows the staffs’ whereabouts to be tracked by managers online via Skyguard’s client portal.
Jayne King said: “Skyguard’s MySOS was the obvious choice as it incorporates the latest technology, whilst being easy to use and offers good value for money.”
At the earliest opportunity in February 2013, the trust initially ordered 70 MySOS devices to protect their midwives, as their existing contract was due to expire. As part of the service, all staff using these new devices received face-to-face training sessions with a Skyguard trainer, so they understand how to use all of the features.
Besides the SOS button which links to Skyguard’s UK based Incident Management Centre, the device features voice memo and speed dial buttons. The voice memo feature allows staff to leave a message (amber alert) on Skyguard’s system detailing where they are going and who they are visiting – if they raise an SOS alarm this message can be listened to by Skyguard’s controllers, cross referenced with their GPS location and passed on to the emergency services and/or duty manager. The speed dial button can be programmed to call a specific number so the device can be used as a mobile phone – midwifery staff use this as back-up, in case their mobiles are lost or stolen.
The Trust next moved other community service teams to using the MySOS devices. Some departments have also bought accessories which offer more convenience or protection such as in-car chargers, roaming SIM cards and identity card holders.
Jayne King said: “One of the most impressive aspects of Skyguard’s service is the project management during implementation; at every step Skyguard provide full support ensuring that each team is set-up with the minimum of fuss, making the process quick and easy.”
The trust now has over 600 MySOS devices for their lone working staff, with more being added on an ongoing basis, as required.
Will Murray, Skyguard’s Marketing Director added: “We are delighted to be working with one of the largest and most famous NHS Trusts in the country. Over 70 NHS trusts have switched to Skyguard, which confirms our ongoing commitment to offering superior service levels at unbeatable prices.” Visit http://www.skyguardgroup.com/
