NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) Case Study

The NHSGGC work together with partners and local communities to provide a full range of healthcare for almost 1.2 million people living in:

  • The City of Glasgow
  • East Dunbartonshire (Milngavie, Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch area)
  • West Dunbartonshire (Clydebank and Dumbarton area)
  • Inverclyde
  • North Lanarkshire (Stepps-Moodiesburn corridor)
  • South Lanarkshire (Rutherglen & Cambuslang)
  • Renfrewshire
  • East Renfrewshire (Eastwood).

NHSGGC is the largest NHS employer within Scotland. A safety led, proactive organisation, they quickly identified a need to support a wide range of healthcare professionals operating as lone workers within the community in areas such as mental health, learning disabilities, midwifery, community nursing and occupational therapy to name a few. 

Following a comprehensive tender process involving the available Lone Worker solutions Argyll’s Mobicare and Procare services were chosen by a steering group comprising of procurement professionals, risk managers, unions and end users as being the most effective service and best value for the organisation. A major deciding factor was the flexibility designed within the solution that enabled NHSGGC to use staff issued mobile phones and specialist devices (issued to staff based on risk assessments) and further flexibility enabling sharing of devices that catered for staff shift working patterns. The Argyll Lone Worker solutions enable the NHSGGC to provide a consistent approach for risk management and support all lone working staff across the organisation.

The Solution

Over 2,000 staff utilise their mobile phones and some specialist devices to summon immediate assistance from police or colleagues should they find themselves in a potentially hazardous situation. The mobile phones and devices are linked to a comprehensive risk management system that confirms their safe return at the end of their shift and following completion of a Lone Worker visit. This system is bolstered 24/7/365 by Argyll’s integrated BS8484 compliant Alarm Receiving Centre and comprehensive mapping systems that enable it’s operators to determine the location of end users during any incidents. 

The Lone Worker is provided with reassurance knowing he or she is just a single button press away from quickly and discreetly summoning assistance should they feel at risk. Using a preconfigured button on their mobile phone, they can issue a duress signal, which instantly alerts Argyll’s Alarm Receiving Centre and simultaneously opens a voice channel enabling operators to listen in. When an alert is received, Argyll’s trained operators put into effect an agreed incident management procedure and if required, use existing links with the police to ensure a swift response. Sophisticated voice recording ensures that every incident is captured and can be produced in evidence if required.

NHSGGC management are provided with an effective outsourced solution with a managed escalation procedure 24/7/365.  Managers can continue with their normal duties confident in the knowledge that staff daily exposure to risk is being constantly monitored and that formal policy actions will be carried out on their behalf to ensure the safety of staff.

NHSGGC have been working in partnership with Argyll for almost 10 years. In this time they have developed and improved their lone worker policy and systems. The major benefits from the deployment of Mobicare are its simplicity and ease of use, the reassurance provided to staff, it’s continuing development, Internet administration, and it’s continued flexibility in meeting the needs of NHSGGC's risk assessments.

Further Information   

For further information on the Argyll Mobicare and Procare Solutions:

contact argyll