The success of the partnership has been such that, not only has the team been recognised with a national award, but it has also been chosen to take on a further significant security project for neighbouring NHS Salford.
The contract has been awarded as a ‘shared resource’ between NHS Manchester and Salford, specifically for providing account management and mobile support.
Axis Security – a combined manpower and technology provider – has been a key partner of Manchester NHS Primary Care Trust (PCT) since 2005.
In that time, it has expanded its service delivery from an 84-hour per week security guarding presence to encompass a broad range of security services across the PCT buildings throughout Greater Manchester.
Security guarding, mobile patroles and key holding
The company provides 1,600-plus hours per week of static security guarding, mobile patrols and key holding, comprising a team of more than 30 officers tasked with protecting people, patients and property (including hospitals, clinics and administrative buildings).
As well as physical security, Axis Security is also now the sole supplier of electronic security systems, with a particular focus on CCTV and access control.
However, it was with the high profile flu and swine flu outbreaks last year that Axis Security achieved more widespread recognition for its ‘value add’ after it was tasked with safeguarding the PCT’s stockpile of antiviral medicines and vaccination drugs.
The role provided a new challenge, as Axis Security’s account manager Gary Watkin explained to SMT Online.
Mobile distribution of medicines
“The security team had to manage and control the mobile distribution of the medicines while also supporting the NHS staff in controlling infected flu patients in designated flu centres,” said Watkin.
“We were on the fron tline delivering the much-needed vaccines, at the same time working to control the spread of the flu viruses on site. It was quite a task.”
Watkin outlined that Axis had to increase its security guarding and patrolling presence, and took on additional support officers to cope with the demand.
“The vaccines were of huge importance to the PCT, and therefore our security measures reflected this,” he added.
Benefits of having a single point of contact
Nick Brice, the Local Security Management Specialist for Manchester NHS Primary Care Trust, stated that the Trust is benefiting from having a single point of contact.
“Having a smaller number of larger providers affords us greater control and significant cost benefits,” he outlined.
“Axis Security was one of the only companies capable of providing an integrated approach to security, and the only company to meet – and actually exceed – the criteria in our tender. It was a key reason for nominating the team for the National Team of the Year Award at the recent Axis Security Awards.”
A particular feature of the relationship is the co-location of Gary Watkin with Nick Brice and his team at Estates Head Office, Mauldeth House. Any potential issues can be immediately acted upon, which is of significant benefit to the PCT.
35 PCT sites covered across Manchester
“The experience of the Trust’s standards and requirements that Gary brings benefits not only the team here, but also the security provision on the ground,” suggested Brice. “It really makes the difference.”
The Axis Security team now provides mobile patrols to approximately 35 PCT sites within Manchester, which includes a short-stay security presence for clinics open in the evening.
The static guarding provision also now covers out-of-hours property security and short notice assignments whenever a site needs a presence in dealing with high-risk patients.
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