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‘Amazingly low’ levels
of crime at Alder Hey
Sometimes crime prevention is at its best when it’s least
noticeable to members of the public – that’s certainly
the case with Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool,
which opened its doors for the first time in 2015.
» » THE HOSPITAL
authorities were focused on
providing a building that was
relaxed, friendly, open and
welcoming. This approach,
which is entirely appropriate
and befits a children’s hospital,
could be considered contrary
to what is traditionally thought
of from a policing perspective
as the makings of a secure
building.
Therefore it presented huge
challenges for the specialist
Designing Out Crime Officers
from Merseyside Police who
were keen to work with the
hospital, and its architects
and developers, to make the
building safe and secure.
One of the biggest examples
of how these two very different
requirements came together
successfully was in the
meandering approach to the
hospital’s front entrance.
It was agreed that
strategically placed featured
art, planters and trees would
help to create a pleasant
environment for patients,
parents, visitors and staff.
But these were also measures
that would help prevent the
hospital from becoming a
‘soft target’ from what police
call hostile vehicle mitigation
– vehicles deliberately being
driven off-road at buildings
or pedestrians for criminal or
terrorist purposes.
As well as building in
security to the layout and
landscaping, Merseyside
Police also worked to ensure
the physical security of the
hospital’s buildings with
the use of CCTV, lighting to
increase visibility, access
control systems, and robust
doors, windows and locks that
would be difficult for casual or
opportunistic criminals to gain
easy access.
In the three years since
the £237m hospital, officially
called Alder Hey in the Park,
opened, there have been a
total of 187 recorded offences
– that’s just over one a week
on average, according to
figures released by Merseyside
Police.
The majority of these
offences are sneak thefts at
the retail outlets inside the
hospital and other thefts, such
as mobile phones being taken
from handbags. Other offences
include assaults on staff and
pedal cycle thefts.
Sgt Frank Stott, of
Merseyside Police, said that
whilst the main focus of the
build team was to provide the
best possible patient care and
for people visiting and working
in the hospital, this presented
unique challenges for the
police.
“This was a brand new
building so could effectively
be designed from the outset.
We were able to identify and
introduce measures and
techniques to provide a safe
and low crime environment.
“We were really pleased
that there was a willingness
to engage with us about
crime prevention and listen
to our advice to help make
their building safer. The
crime figures are amazingly
low in comparison to similar
buildings. It shows what can be
achieved when organisations
are prepared to come together
at the right time to work for the
common good.”
Secured by Design,
the national police crime
prevention initiative, has a
network of SBD trained police
officers and staff attached
to police forces and local
authorities around the UK.
Known as Designing Out
Crime Officers, they work
with architects, developers
and local authority planners
and the pre-planning and
planning stages through to
construction to design out
crime.
Alder Hey opened with 270
beds, including 48 critical care
beds for patients in intensive
care, high dependency and
burns units. There are 16
operating theatres, four for
day-case surgery and 12
inpatient theatres.
It cares for more than
275,000 children, young
people and their families
every year providing a range
of treatments from common
illnesses to highly complex
and specialist conditions.
The hospital is part of a
complex that includes a brand
new research, innovation and
education centre.
Alder Hey is one of only
four stand-alone paediatric
trusts in the country, is one
of Europe’s biggest and
busiest children’s hospitals,
and is becoming recognised
as one of the world’s leaders
in children’s healthcare
and research into children’s
medicines, infection,
inflammation and oncology.
www.securedbydesign.com
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | JAN/FEB 2019