Our Story So Far

Invention of the door finger-ejecting gured

Philip and Martin introduced the Finger-Ejecting Guard (Alumini). A surface-mounted solution designed for existing hinged doors.

It allows doors to open up to 180 degrees and includes a patented finger-ejection system that prevents trapped fingers, keeping wandering little hands safe in schools, childcare settings, and other high-traffic environments.

This innovation built on their original idea, expanding Safehinge Primera’s mission to make everyday spaces safer for everyone.

Entering the behavioral health sector

Having mostly operated in the Education sector to date, the Safehinge team identified an opportunity to support environments within Mental Health NHS facilities.

Founders Philip and Martin were visiting a friend in the hospital who had been sectioned when they spotted how unsuitable the door was in an environment for recovery.

They work to launch a door components package specifically for Mental Health, focusing on durability, hygiene and anti-ligature features along with aiding patient recovery.

This included:

Surehinge – an anti-barricade pivot system. The patented no-gap pivot system is anti-ligature, anti-barricade, and FD60 fire rated.

Sureclose – a concealed door closer. A concealed fire door closer that’s robust, secure and simple to fit anti-barricade doors.

Movastop – an anti-barricade wall-mounted door stop. The unique rapid-release mechanism allows staff to open doors outwards anytime within 15 seconds.

In 2013, the team also attended the first Design In Mental Health Exhibition to meet partners and customers. The Team are keen supporter’s of the exhibition, attending annually and often bagging awards for innovation and new product developments. Philip attended the AGM after this show and joined the board. This was driven by his personal passion and interest in improving Mental Health environments.

Safehinge + Primera

Expanding into Behavioral Health Design

After years of working mainly in the education sector, the Safehinge team recognized an opportunity to improve safety and dignity within Behavioral Health facilities.

The idea took shape when co-founders Philip Ross and Martin Izod visited a friend who had been hospitalized. They noticed how unsuitable the existing door was in an environment meant for healing. That moment inspired a new mission to design safer, more therapeutic spaces for people going through a vulnerable time.

The team developed a specialized door components package for Behavioral Health settings, focusing on durability, hygiene, and ligature-resistant features that promote both safety and recovery.

This included:

• Surehinge: an anti-barricade pivot system with a patented no-gap design that is ligature-resistant, anti-barricade, and FD60 fire rated.

• Sureclose: a concealed, robust, and secure door closer designed for anti-barricade doors.

• Movastop: a wall-mounted anti-barricade door stop with a rapid-release mechanism that allows staff to open a door outward in under 15 seconds.

In 2013, the team attended the first Design in Mental Health Exhibition, connecting with partners and care providers who shared their vision. Since then, Safehinge Primera has remained an active supporter, attending every year and earning multiple awards for innovation and product development.

Philip later joined the exhibition’s board, driven by his personal passion for improving Behavioral Health environments and advancing design that truly supports recovery and dignity.

Award Wins

A Growing Team and Award-Winning Design

The team continued to grow, bringing energy, creativity, and a few “jazz hands” moments to team photos along the way.

Our ligature-resistant bathroom door earned Product Innovation of the Year at the 2017 Design in Behavioral Health Awards and was later highly commended at the Building Better Healthcare Awards.

Judges at the Design in Mental Health Network described the product as “lifesaving.” The Building Better Healthcare panel praised it for “responding directly to a real need.” They noted that they “liked the double-door entry, which would fit almost anywhere,” and expected it to be “widely embraced.”

Invention of the Electronic Lockset

2018: A Year of Growth and Groundbreaking Innovation

2018 marked our most successful year yet. Ten years after Safehinge was founded and two years after welcoming Primera to the team, we achieved 40 percent revenue growth and expanded our reach across Behavioral Health care. The team continued to grow, and we delivered a major project in partnership with The Priory Group.

Launching the Electronic Lockset for Behavioral Health

In 2018, we launched our Electronic Lockset, purpose-built for Behavioral Health facilities. This innovation helps create more familiar, therapeutic spaces that support recovery. Electronic locking promotes trust and independence for patients, while a built-in mechanical override gives staff reliable access in emergencies.

Introducing the World’s First Full-Door Ligature Alarm

That same year, we introduced the world’s first and only Full-Door Ligature Alarm. This technology turns the entire door into a weighing scale, detecting vertical loads of more than 11 pounds to identify potential ligature attempts.

Our anti-barricade doorsets with integrated wireless full-door alarms provide early warning of risks, supporting clinical teams in their observations and improving patient safety. Each system is supplied, installed, and supported by one trusted source, ensuring complete accountability and peace of mind.

Continuous Improvement for Customers

To make our products even easier to specify and install, we introduced a dedicated Configure Price Quote (CPQ) system. This tool streamlines the configuration of doorsets and access controls, ensuring every component works together seamlessly. It saves time, reduces errors, and guarantees compatibility across each project.

We ramp up our exhibition game

2019: Taking the Stage and Going Stateside

In 2019, we exhibited at the Design in Behavioral Health Exhibition and Conference with our largest stand yet, spanning 54 square meters. The event provided the perfect platform to showcase our expanding product range, growing project portfolio, and dedicated team.

Adding to the excitement, CEO Philip Ross was invited as the opening keynote speaker, where he discussed the BRE and Design in Behavioral Health Network testing initiative. His talk helped NHS teams and design specifiers make more informed, evidence-based product choices to improve safety and quality of care.

Expanding into the United States

2019 was also the year we went Stateside. After several visits to Behavioral Health facilities across the United States, our team gained valuable insight into how care is delivered and how environments influence recovery. We discovered a strong demand for safer, non-institutional products that are designed with both patients and clinical staff in mind.

In November, we exhibited at the Healthcare Design Expo in New Orleans. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with one visitor describing our innovations as “humanized safety.” Our award-winning ligature-resistant bathroom door was recognized as “one of a kind,” reinforcing our commitment to combining safety, dignity, and design excellence in Behavioral Health environments.

Our Purpose & Values

2020: Purpose, Resilience, and Growth

In 2020, our entire team came together to define what drives us every day. Our purpose became clear:

Together, we design for good. We help protect people through vulnerable times.

We also identified the core values that guide everything we do:

• Powered by Purpose

• Dedicated to Design

• Team, Together

• Empathy Over Egos

• Commercial with a Conscience

Although 2020 was a challenging year for everyone, our team showed remarkable resilience during the Covid-19 pandemic and the transition to remote work.

That same year, we achieved an important milestone with our first US sales of ligature-resistant bathroom doors for Behavioral Health facilities. It marked the beginning of our mission to support safer, more dignified care environments across the United States.

Meanwhile, we moved into our new Glasgow office at Speirs Wharf, only to close three weeks later due to the national lockdown. We made the most of the change, expanding our dedicated development workshop to twice its original size, giving our design and engineering teams more space to innovate and create.

We doubled in size

2022: Innovation, Connection, and Impact

2022 was a year of growth and achievement. Our team doubled in size to 75 employees, and we saw a 42 percent increase in revenue.

One of our proudest accomplishments came from the impact of our door alarm systems. At Surrey NHS, clinicians reported a 60 percent reduction in response times, helping staff reach patients faster and save lives.

We were honored to receive the Concept Product Innovation of the Year Award at the 2022 Design in Behavioral Health Awards for our older people’s door with full-door ligature alarm. This design uses our full-door alarm technology with standard door hardware, balancing multiple needs such as preventing slips, trips, and falls while maintaining the sense of familiarity that is critical for older patients.

After two years apart, our growing team finally reunited for a summer celebration filled with connection and energy.

Another major highlight was the launch of Doora, our mobile product training and display unit. Doora tours the UK and Ireland, bringing hands-on product demonstrations and suicide prevention training directly to Behavioral Health facilities.

With Doora, we can showcase our most advanced ligature-resistant door systems and recovery-led designs in person, helping care teams create safer, more therapeutic environments for patients.