Lockable doors in care premises.

[nearlythere]

Bedroom doors to new build care homes in NI are required, by the regulatory authority, to be capable of being locked from the inside by residents. Even a nineteen bed dementia unit I am dealing with. 

The means of access to the bedrooom for staff, with an uncooperative resident, is by way of a key. This will also be the means of access in an emergency by staff to evacuate residents and without a suitable safe system of work in place could present a risk to the resident, other residents and staff.

RQIA have not suggested a means of easy access.

What does the panel think of this requirement when access to a bedroom to help evacuate a dementia resident should be by way of an easy open device?

[kurnal]

At one time, when this sort of thing first surfaced as an issue and was pushed at the time by social services, we used to specify the following conditions-
1- the lock must not be capable of being deadlocked from within the room.
2 -the lock must not require key operation to exit from the room
3- all bedroom locks must be suited to a master key
4- All staff must carry a master key
5- breakable sliding bolts of the frangible plastic kind were acceptable.

[Paul2886]

This is a different take to my understanding. CQC often insist on the bedroom doors to be lockable from the outside, not the inside. This is to give residents the facility of preventing unauthorised intrusion into there rooms when they are elsewhere in the premises. The rest has been addressed by Kurnal.

[nearlythere]

At one time, when this sort of thing first surfaced as an issue and was pushed at the time by social services, we used to specify the following conditions-
1- the lock must not be capable of being deadlocked from within the room.
2 -the lock must not require key operation to exit from the room
3- all bedroom locks must be suited to a master key
4- All staff must carry a master key
5- breakable sliding bolts of the frangible plastic kind were acceptable.

That is the case here K. My only additional measure is that the key is the sole one on the likes of a zinger or lanyard and attached to the person with a safe system of work at shift change around to ensure that all relevant staff carry the key and emergency spares on large key tabs in nursing stations.

My former employer was very much against keys for escape purposes other than in secure institutions.

Paul. To my mind security and privacy is an entitlement in sheltered housing where residents are not in care. But when not there has to be a degree of control over the residents to ensure their safety and welfare.

[Midland Retty]

Took the words out of my mouth NT - I dealt with a similar case only last month where forgetful staff took master keys home with them. As such there was not a sufficient quota of master keys available for the oncoming shift - Not very clever - but all too easily done though - so as you suggest a good level of management is an absolute must.

Also as you say if the keys are attached to a lanyard or similar to prevent loss and allow swift retrieval I don't see how unlocking doors causes a unacceptable delay - I mention this because an old colleague of mine always argued that in a panic situation staff would faff around trying to unlock doors wasting valuable time, or that the keys might break off in the lock, or get dropped and kicked under the door etc. Its rare to have a key break inside the locks, and the lanyard prevents keys from being mislaid, or being dropped. How many times a day will staff be unloking doors routinely? Lots !! Teaching you to suck eggs I know but its the logic I would use to justify why key operated locks would be ok in this scenario!

At another secure home I visited there was an instance where a key jammed in the lock (not during an evacuation) - so the home implemented regular inspections and lubrication of the locks just to try and reduce a similar occurance happening again - some may view that as a bit OTT but I thought it was a sensible measure because it was incorporated as part of their fire door inspection schedule.

I agree with you about the level of control required in these places. Yes the rights and dignity of residents need to be preserved but it has to be balanced against security and safety - been alot of cases of elderly dementia patients absconding from their homes and getting knocked oveer - they're more at risk of that happening than a fire occurring.

[Paul2886]

NT. We are not referring to sheltered accomodation. Reference was made to a care premises. It seems there's some confusion here. The doors in care premises should not be lockable from the inside or put another way...be fitted with a lock that cannot easily be opened from the outside by staff. Hence the removal of 'snibs' from yale type locks as indicated by Kurnal. I have some recollection that some years ago our brigade would allow small bolts if fixed in place by small screws that could be overcome with a determined shoulder.

[Owain]

Bedroom doors to new build care homes in NI are required, by the regulatory authority, to be capable of being locked from the inside by residents. Even a nineteen bed dementia unit I am dealing with. 

The means of access to the bedrooom for staff, with an uncooperative resident, is by way of a key.

If there is a risk of residents being uncooperative do the bedroom doors open outwards or is all the furniture fixed?  Otherwise there is a risk of doors being barricaded from the inside.

[nearlythere]

NT. We are not referring to sheltered accomodation. Reference was made to a care premises. It seems there's some confusion here. The doors in care premises should not be lockable from the inside or put another way...be fitted with a lock that cannot easily be opened from the outside by staff. Hence the removal of 'snibs' from yale type locks as indicated by Kurnal. I have some recollection that some years ago our brigade would allow small bolts if fixed in place by small screws that could be overcome with a determined shoulder.

I was just making a point about the types of occupancy and degree of control. No confusion. Doors to new residential care can be locked from inside as required by regulatory body requiring a key to access from the outside by staff. Are you reading the posts correctly?

[Paul2886]

Hi, no I think I'm seeing things right. Will say I got a little confused but seems we are saying the same. I suppose I was assuming that it was an inside lock that gave them total independance regarding entry, no matter by whom. This was often a bone of contention between different agencies when I was in fire safety and I suppose it all boils down to the type of lock that's acceptable. How many times do you see a yale type lock, for instance, with a functional snib. Anyway feel I've got the drift of things now and a much happier bunny now. Easily pleased eh