Brunswick Ward: Creating Safe and Calming Spaces for Dementia Care with Symphony Doorsets and Passport Smart Locks
In 2017, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust embarked on significantly refurbishing the Brunswick Ward to provide a safer, more homely environment for adults with dementia.
They needed a solution that combined safety, accessibility, and familiarity to support the residents’ unique needs.
Safehinge Primera’s Symphony anti-barricade doorsets and Passport smart locksets, paired with Oryx handles and our 1-way SOS locksets, delivered a comprehensive solution that enabled both independence and security for service users.
Our approach allowed the ward to maintain an uplifting atmosphere, where residents feel at home while staff maintain essential control and safety features.
Care provider: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Brunswick Ward
Project type: Major Refurbishment
Mental Health Discipline: Dementia care for adults
Partner: JH Burley Architects
Products supplied:
Symphony anti-barricade doorsets LINK
Passport smart locksets LINK,
Oryx lever handles LINK
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides specialised support for patients across various mental health services. Brunswick Ward, a vital part of the Trust’s service for adults with dementia, required a complete transformation.
The goal was to create a safe, homely space that would support the complex needs of its older service users. In partnership with JH Burley Architects, the Trust turned to Safehinge Primera for a doorset solution to address the safety challenges in dementia care while promoting a familiar, non-institutional environment.
The Challenge
The Trust faced several challenges in designing a secure yet homelike setting for the Brunswick Ward. Key considerations included:
Safety and Emergency Access: Given the mobility and cognitive challenges dementia patients face, the ward needed doors that would prevent barricading while allowing staff swift access during emergencies. Typical solutions lacked the subtle design necessary for a comfortable atmosphere.
Promoting Independence: The ward sought a way to give patients controlled independence by allowing them to manage their own room access while ensuring that staff could always enter in emergencies.
A Calming, Familiar Environment: Dementia patients often struggle with institutional settings that feel unfamiliar or clinical. The ward needed doorsets that mirrored familiar residential designs to create a soothing and recognisable space, with colour-coded doors to aid navigation.
The Solution
The Safehinge Primera team collaborated with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust to deliver a tailored solution that balanced safety with a sense of home.
Our integrated solution featured Symphony anti-barricade doorsets LINK, Passport smart locksets LINK, and Oryx lever handles LINK—all designed to meet the specific needs of dementia care settings.
Symphony Anti-Barricade Doorset
The Symphony doorsets offered the ideal blend of safety and familiarity:
Swift Emergency Access: With our discrete anti-barricade stop, staff can access rooms in under two seconds without visible institutional mechanisms, maintaining a homelike appearance.
Minimal Visible Fixings: The Symphony design minimises metalwork, so the doors look residential rather than clinical. Swiftstop’s nearly invisible anti-barricade stop allows staff access while keeping the environment non-intrusive.
Colour-Coded Doors: Using high-contrast colours on patient room doors and staff-only doors aids wayfinding, which is particularly important for dementia patients who may struggle with spatial orientation.
Passport Smart Locksets
The Passport lockset added a layer of smart functionality and independence:
Remote Programming and Real-Time Audit: Managed on Shoal’s smart platform, Passport locksets allow remote programming with a real-time audit trail. This ensures staff have complete visibility over room access.
5-Way SOS Override System:
The Passport lockset is the only access control lockset with a complete staff override, ensuring staff can gain emergency access at any time.
Increased Independence for Service Users: The passport lockset promotes independence for service users by allowing them to unlock their own doors, a significant benefit highlighted by the CQC (Care Quality Commission) in its inspections.
Oryx Lever Handles and 1-Way SOS Locksets
For additional accessibility, we introduced Oryx lever handles and our 1-way SOS locksets for select doors:
Oryx Handle Design: Ideal for users with a weak grip, the Oryx handle looks familiar and non-institutional, allowing dementia patients to recognise and operate it intuitively.
1-Way SOS Mechanical Lockset: We installed the PR1 1-way SOS lockset on staff-only doors, which provides emergency access while ensuring service users cannot tamper with the lock.
This carefully coordinated product solution enabled Brunswick Ward to achieve an environment that seamlessly combines safety, accessibility, and a homelike feel.
Impact
The installation of Safehinge Primera’s Symphony doorsets and Passport Smart Locksets transformed the Brunswick Ward into a space that supports patient dignity and safety:
Enhanced Staff Access and Control: The two-second emergency access on anti-barricade doorsets provided peace of mind to staff, who knew they could enter rooms quickly during emergencies without creating an institutional appearance.
Increased Patient Independence: With the Smart Passport Lockset, service users now have greater control over their personal spaces. This feature empowers them to unlock their doors independently, enhancing their dignity and respecting their autonomy.
Calming, Navigable Environment: The ward’s high-contrast colour coding and familiar handle design support patients’ navigation and interaction with their surroundings, fostering a sense of calm and comfort in what feels like a home environment.
Let’s Build Safer Spaces Together
Safehinge Primera’s innovative approach at Brunswick Ward illustrates our commitment to designing spaces that elevate safety while preserving independence and dignity for individuals with dementia.
By integrating our Symphony doorsets and Passport locksets with thoughtful design and smart technology, we helped Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust create a warm, secure, and supportive environment.
To learn more about our solutions for dementia care environments, explore our Symphony doorsets and Passport locksets here and see how we can support your next project.