NHS Foundation Trust Mental Health Center Creates Secure Environment with IP Video Surveillance System

The NHS Foundation Trust of Norfolk and Suffolk has set up, In the 19 mental health units that make up the institution, an IP video surveillance system, based on Samsung Techwin's WiseNetlll cameras. The aim is to strengthen safety and monitor patient activity.

The NHS Foundation Trust, which currently serves more than 40.000 People with mental health issues, offers several specialized services, in Norfolk and Suffolk, for the care and recovery of people with mental health or drug dependence problems.

Although mental health units are safe, Most allow patients to move freely. That's why, The NHS Foundation Trust has sought help in advances in video surveillance technology to strengthen the institution's security systems in order to alert and support nursing staff so that they can react quickly to any issues that may arise.

"We are committed to the Safewards initiative, which has as its main objective to reduce the number of conflicts in mental health inpatient centers. The use of smart technology, such as video surveillance systems based on IP networks, play a big role in achieving this goal.", says Mark Milliard, Capital Projects Manager at the NHS Foundation Trust in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Mark, who has worked in the NHS since 1986, has supervised in recent years the migration of the analogue video surveillance systems of the National Health System to IP solutions.

"The analog systems that were installed years ago were becoming less and less reliable and we made the decision to upgrade them to systems based on IP networks. One of the main advantages of transmitting images over the network is the ability for authorized users to view live or recorded images from any of the cameras from their computer. This gave us greater flexibility to monitor the activity of mental health units compared to analogue CCTV systems, that they could only transmit the images they captured to a central location.".

In addition, as the National Health System is obliged to obtain the maximum return on its investments in new technologies, A bidding process was initiated for installation companies to submit their proposals to install and maintain video surveillance systems in each of the 19 Units that make up the center.

Migrating to IP with WiseNetlll

"The logical thing to do was to buy the cameras from a single manufacturer and, In addition, to provide ongoing maintenance, It was necessary to reduce the camera models to a minimum. We needed a solution that would meet our needs, while offering us the added value we were looking for: A proven reputation for reliability and cameras with advanced technical features to capture and monitor high-definition images, regardless of its location or environmental conditions", Mark clarifies.

The option chosen for this project was the WiseNetlll cameras from Samsung Techwin, for its image quality and the possibility that each team, depending on your location, Can be configured to broadcast

The project required the installation of cameras covering the interior and exterior areas of the buildings. 19 mental health units and it was decided to do so with the SNV-6084R models, SNO-6084R and SNV-6012.

The first is a vandal-proof mini-dome system from Full HD network 2 Megapixel, with built-in infrared LEDs to capture images regardless of lighting conditions. The SNO-6084R is a bullet camera, weatherproof lens that is equipped with a motorized varifocal lens and integrates infrared LEDs. The third model, SNV-6012, is a Full HD vandal-resistant mini-dome from 2 Megapixel.

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