Hospitals are busy places.
In the three months leading up to May 2022, an average of 45,000 patients visited a major hospital A&E department every day. And more than 250,000 attended an outpatient appointment.
That’s a lot of people coming and going.
With this continuous daily activity in mind, it’s essential that medical supplies – particularly controlled drugs and medicines – are stored safely and securely. And one of the easiest, most reliable ways to do this is using a high-quality medical cabinet.
Here, the experts at eSafes – a leading online supplier – take a look at some of the key benefits of medical cabinets and explore why they’re so important in a hospital environment.
Benefits of a medical safe within a hospital
- Safety
The clue is in the name. One of the main advantages of a medical safe is safety.
It’s the perfect place to keep drugs and controlled substances secure. Typically fitted with a high-security key lock and made from stainless steel, medical cabinets comply with strict regulations set out in the Misuse of Drugs Act of 1971.
Only authorised personnel will be issued with a key. As such, medical items are unlikely to end up in the wrong hands. And instances of drug theft and misuse – which are surprisingly common in hospitals – are much easier to detect and prevent.
- Infection control
When it comes to sterile medical supplies, a medical cabinet will provide the perfect germ-free storage environment. Not only is it made from steel (a non-porous material that prevents bacterial growth), some models also have an active coating that helps to prevent the spread of germs.
They’re incredibly easy to clean and sterilise.
What’s more, by locating a separate cabinet in each patient room, medical supplies do not need to be moved back and forth from one room to another. The risk of contamination is, therefore, considerably reduced and there’s less chance of spreading hospital-acquired infections (e.g. MRSA).
- Supplies
Medication safes allow stock and medical items to be closely managed.
By creating a detailed inventory of what’s currently inside the cabinet, it’s much easier to:
- see which supplies are running low and potentially need to be restocked
- detect missing items as quickly as possible
- keep track of important expiry dates
As a result, there’s less risk of losing or miscounting medical supplies. And staff can maintain an adequate level of supply, for the high level of patients visiting the hospital every day.
Ready to invest in a medical cabinet?
Within a hospital setting, the importance of a medical safe cannot be understated. If you’re looking to improve the safety and security of a healthcare facility – and need reliable medical storage space – be sure to head over to eSafes.
They have a range of lockable medical cabinets available, all of which are competitively priced, manufactured to the highest quality and ready for next day delivery.
Some are designed to store first aid items, medical supplies and COVID-19 test kits, whilst others are more suitable for controlled drugs. And you can choose from free-standing and wall-mounted cabinets in a variety of sizes, so there’s bound to be one that fits your specific requirements.
Take a look and, if you have any questions, give their security specialists a call on 0800 783 2328.
