Located in the tranquil surroundings of Addlestone, Surrey, Rodwell House serves as part of the renowned Graham Care Group. This 79-bed nursing facility specializes in providing exceptional care for residents with dementia and physical frailties, continually seeking innovative ways to enhance service delivery.
Meeting the evolving needs of modern care
As a forward-thinking facility, Rodwell House sought to enhance the entry experience for both staff and visitors. The management team understood that the existing manual entry system, which required staff to remember and input codes throughout their shifts, could be improved to allow more time for resident care. For visiting relatives, many of whom are elderly themselves, the facility wanted to create an entry experience that was more welcoming and accessible. "We wanted to make visiting easier and more comfortable for families," says care home manager, Janet Bromley.
"With the nature of the care that we provide, we need comprehensive oversight of people as they come in go out," explains Bromley. “Our commitment to provide excellent care means we recognize the value of having detailed access records throughout the building. These support quality assurance initiatives and provide us with the insights we need to optimize the quality of our service. It was important, for example," says Bromley, “that we could get a clear record of which staff have been in different areas at particular times.”
Facial recognition access control meets compassionate care
Working closely with Graham Care's IT team, Rodwell House selected Hikvision's Face Recognition Terminals (DS-K1T342MWX-E1(O-STD)). 160 terminals have been strategically positioned at entry points, communal areas, and ward locations, with dedicated units for both entry and exit monitoring.
Each terminal features a 4.3-inch LCD touch screen and built-in card reading functionality, supporting multiple access methods including facial recognition, card access, and traditional code entry. A particularly valuable feature for healthcare settings is the system's face-with-mask recognition capability, helping to maintain security protocols without compromising hygiene requirements.
The terminals integrate seamlessly with the HikCentral Professional platform, creating a centralized management system that generates detailed access logs showing who entered which areas and when. This provides administrators with comprehensive visibility into facility access patterns while enabling quick retrieval of specific entry records for quality assurance or incident review purposes.
To ensure full compliance with privacy regulations, Rodwell House obtained proper consent from all staff, residents, and families before implementing the system. The installation follows strict GDPR protocols, with alternative keypad access remaining available for those who prefer traditional entry methods.
Delivering measurable improvements in service quality
The implementation has generated significant improvements across multiple areas of facility operation. Staff members have embraced the technology enthusiastically, with entry processes becoming notably more efficient and secure. "From the staff perspective, it's brilliant," says Bromley. "I find it so easy to just go in—and other staff do, too. When it comes to entry, it's been a real and very popular success."
The enhanced security capabilities of the new system now provides crucial support for safeguarding procedures. The system maintains comprehensive access records that can be quickly retrieved when investigating incidents or addressing concerns. "If we need to review any safeguarding situations, we can now easily access the entry records," explains Bromley, highlighting how detailed logging supports resident protection protocols.
The new system has also revolutionized service oversight through better visibility into care delivery patterns. By recording access patterns to resident areas, management can confirm that care schedules are being followed appropriately. This enables them to verify that residents receive regular attention and ensures service consistency across all areas of the facility.
Accessibility improvements are particularly significant for visiting families. The planned expansion to include relatives in the facial recognition system will eliminate the challenges associated with visitors remembering codes and operating keypads. "Facial recognition will make life a lot easier," says Bromley, emphasizing the technology's role in creating a more welcoming environment for elderly family members.
A blueprint for future-ready healthcare facilities
Rodwell House's successful deployment demonstrates how AIoT (AI-powered Internet of Things) technologies can enhance both security and care quality while maintaining the dignity and comfort that residents deserve. The scalable solution will be adopted across four other Graham Care facilities, with plans for over 800 additional terminals, establishing a new benchmark for smart, secure elderly care environments throughout the organization.