590 
Flexible, scalable, affordable, wireless access control with a wealth of experience protecting patients, medicines, expensive equipment and confidential data the health care sector: these are the key attributes that Aperio® wireless access control technology brings to a major hospital refurbishment in north-west England.
As part of a £35 million refurbishment of A&E and other urgent care services, Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool sought an upgrade to its access control system. The brief was demanding.
The hospital trust needed flexible access control that could streamline day-to-day security operations, extending public access while also maintaining restrictions to sensitive areas. They wanted a wire-free system, so installation could be done quickly and efficiently, at low cost, without disrupting the day-to-day work of the hospital. Seamless integration between hardware provided by multiple suppliers — including a pre-existing third-party access control system — was also critical.
Finally, Aintree University Hospital needed a solution that would be cost-effective — a crucial factor for this public sector project in an era of tight budget constraints.
ASSA ABLOY partnered with Grantfen and Inner Range to deliver a unified platform, which extended the responsive Integriti access control system with ASSA ABLOY’s Aperio® wireless battery-powered escutcheons.
“Aperio® escutcheons proved to be the most cost-effective and easy-to-install security solution for the hospital,” says Sue McIntyre, Grantfen’s General Manager. “Aperio® offered a straightforward alternative to a complicated wired solution, without any need to modify the doors. A particularly useful feature for installing the system quickly and efficiently, without disrupting operations within the live building.”
Aperio® locks are wireless, so there was no need for complex, expensive electrical work during installation. Aperio® saves the hospital money when operational. Cost savings versus traditional wired mag locks doors are significant. Wired locks are powered by an always-on mains electricity supply. Aperio® locks, on the other hand, only “wake up” when activated by a user credential.
Aperio® is built on open architecture, so integration with the existing access control system is seamless. Aperio® components are powered by standard batteries, so maintenance is easy — just a simple battery replacement after 2 years. And because Aperio® is fully scalable, and works with all major standard RFID technologies, it’s easy to bring even more wireless locks into the hospital’s existing access system as the refurbishment continues. Access control at Aintree University Hospital is future-proofed.
For more about Aperio® solutions for hospitals, see www.assaabloy.co.uk/aperioforhospitals
About Aperio®: Available on the global market place, ASSA ABLOY’s Aperio® Technology enables a wide range of access control providers to cost-effectively integrate non-wired doors with mechanical locks into access control systems.
About Aintree University Hospital: Aintree University Hospital is a major teaching hospital and health provider in North Merseyside, providing acute medical care to around 330,000 local residents. The hospital has around 700 inpatient beds and 4600 staff, and deals with almost 154,000 emergency cases and visitors each year. See www.aintreehospital.nhs.uk.
