SafeZone, the safety, security, wellbeing, and emergency management platform, has gone live across the Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester General Hospital, and Glenfield Hospital sites, including surrounding car parks.
These hospitals are part of the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) and colleagues can download the app, share their location, and alert security teams about any safety-related incidents, including violence or aggression, at the touch of a button.
The SafeZone app was developed by Australia-based CriticalArc, a company specialising in safety and security technology for institutions like universities, healthcare facilities, and workplaces.
UHL’s commitment to safety goes beyond addressing violence and aggression and extends to offer additional support to high-risk groups within its community
The Trust also joined the SafeZone Alliance, working with the nearby University of Leicester to deploy the app across both of their sites.
This initiative enables the Trust, the University of Leicester and other Alliance members to provide reciprocal support to each other’s staff, students, and faculty – no matter which site they are attending – extending “safe zones” beyond the boundaries of their respective sites.
Head of Security at Leicester’s Hospitals, Kim Hudson, said: "The safety and wellbeing of our people is a top priority for UHL, and we are always working to improve their experiences. Offering SafeZone across the Trust is a significant step in ensuring that our colleagues feel supported and empowered, so they can focus on delivering the best possible care to patients.
By implementing SafeZone, UHL reinforces its support for these groups, providing them an extra layer of security and ensuring that help is always at hand
"The fact that our colleagues have immediate access to support at the push of a button is so reassuring," Hudson said. "It means that whether they are managing a difficult situation such as an aggressive patient, have seen something that looks unusual and would like to report it, or want the peace of mind walking to our car parks or working alone, they can alert our security team straight away and get help quickly and easily, 24 hours a day, seven days a week."
UHL’s commitment to safety goes beyond addressing violence and aggression and extends to offer additional support to high-risk groups within its community.
SafeZone’s complete suite of capabilities – including the SafeZone app – are tailored to provide discreet and immediate access to support for those who may feel more vulnerable or at risk within a hospital environment or community setting.
UHL and the University of Leicester have become the first SafeZone user organisations to join forces and offer a unified safety and security solution for their respective communities
By implementing SafeZone, UHL reinforces its support for these groups, providing them an extra layer of security and ensuring that help is always at hand.
CriticalArc’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Darren Chalmers-Stevens, said: "This progressive approach demonstrates just how committed these two institutions are to protecting the wellbeing of staff, students, patients and the wider Leicester community, laying a path for others to follow."
Top image: An UHL staff member looking at the SafeZone app on their smartphone