Letter: A quick route to hospital security

Sir: Now that baby Abbie Humphries has been found and returned to her parents, is it not time for hospitals to reflect on their security systems? There are effective systems that would help prevent these human disasters and are not too expensive to install. Maternity wards would be fairly simple to protect. The following proposals would help: - All entries to a maternity area would be through a card access control configured so that the door can be opened only by a card.

The relations and nominated friends of the mother are issued with a card and may enter during permitted visiting periods.

All entries and exits are monitored and recorded for future reference if required.

When the mother leaves, the cards of all relatives and friends are automatically voided.

All staff would be issued with their own cards and gain access in the same way.

This would be a start and would allow for security to other areas to be extended. Not only must patients be protected, our staff have the right to work in a safe environment.

Yours sincerely,

MARTYN LONG

Chairman

Mid-Downs Health Authority

Haywards Heath, West Sussex

20 July