Did you know that 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience mental health problems each year? And while the most common types of problems people have are anxiety and depression, 3 in every 100 people will self-harm in their lifetime, and 17 in 100 have suicidal thoughts. Although the overall number of people experiencing mental health problems is not rising significantly, worries over job security, money and benefits can make it harder for people to cope. It is, therefore, no wonder that the demand for mental health services in the UK has increased in recent years.
The dark days of so-called lunatic asylums are thankfully behind us. Indeed these create a haunting image, de-humanising and prison-like, where leg-irons and manacles were common-place. However, asylums slowly began to reform in the Victorian era as patients started to be viewed as just that, rather than criminals to be restrained. The need, therefore, to create a secure environment with perimeter fencing is not a new thing. However, as patients were no longer bed-bound (or worse), creating a secure environment became increasingly important.
Today, patients in secure hospitals will usually have been sectioned by the Mental Health Act. Depending on the level of security needed, different security fencing and perimeter security will be needed. This is not only for the safety and security of patients but also for visitors and staff. Whether the hospital is high, medium or low security, vigilance remains a priority. And different fencing options are more or less appropriate.
Here at Zaun, we offer a range of high-security fencing solutions. Experts are on hand to perform a site survey and offer the very best and most appropriate solution no matter what level of security you need from fencing that has been licensed by the UK Association of Chief Police Officers and has been tested and approved by, among others, the Building Research Establishment and the prison service, to bespoke products tailored to your existing perimeter security systems. We can also provide perimeter fences to act as a clear demarcation area protecting a unit’s environment. So whatever the need, we have the solution.
Looking for security fencing for your mental health unit? Contact Zaun today!
