Design best practices for mental health facilities have greatly improved in recent years through collaborative efforts to deliver safer environments that are conducive to the wellbeing of both patients and staff.
Anti-ligature design is one element that plays a crucial role in patient safety by ensuring the risk of self harm is minimised. However, focusing solely on anti-ligature characteristics without considering the aesthetic appearance can result in unwelcoming, institutional-like environments. Such spaces not only work against a patient’s recovery journey but also impact the staff’s wellbeing, in turn having a potential negative effect on their ability to provide the standard of care they aspire to.
With the above considered, along with the critical importance of anti-ligature design from a patient safety standpoint, it’s important to incorporate anti-ligature solutions that enhance the healing environment whilst still successfully delivering a reduction in the ligature risks.
This idea is represented by the Australasian Health Infrastructure Alliance (AHIA) in their latest revision of the ‘Mental Health – Overarching Guideline‘, published on 25th January 2024 as part of AHIA’s Australasian Health Facility Guidelines.
The paper describes the importance of creating therapeutic spaces with a recovery focus, highlighting that mental health facilities should have “a non-institutional appearance, with an environment that has a residential look, feel and scale” and that provides “high-quality design and materials that communicates to consumers that they are valued.”
As Your Partner in Patient Safety, this sentiment runs core to Kingsway Group as we work to deliver innovative safety solutions that steer clear of the non-institutional appearances of old.
Further guidance provided by AHIA within the paper (on page 25) addresses key areas of ligature risk and how these can be mitigated, drawing specific attention to the doors of bedrooms, ensuites, and seclusion & de-escalation rooms as outlined below:
AHIA Guidance for Bedroom Doors
- “Require higher levels of performance”
- “Single leaf”
- “Fitted with all anti-ligature hardware, including a shrouded, continuous anti-ligature hinge”
- “The ability to be outward opening to enable staff access in the event of an emergency”, otherwise known as ‘anti-barricade’
- “Include a mental health designed viewing panel in high dependency and acute areas”
At Kingsway Group, our anti-ligature bedroom doors are designed for safe and robust performance in mental health facilities, utilising continuous anti-ligature hinges (read more about continuous hinges here) coupled with impact-resistant, tri-laminated core door leaves and attack-resistant anti-ligature vision panels.
Kingsway’s SWING, SWITCH, and SENTRY Door Systems are all anti-barricade by design, allowing staff to gain swift access during emergencies, while the latter of the three also benefits from a full door edge ligature alarm system to further reduce risk.
In addition to safety and performance, we offer an extensive range of finishes to help create a welcoming and calming space (find out more about the role of colour in mental health).
AHIA Guidance for Ensuite Doors
- “Should open outwards”
- “Should be able to be opened quickly in an emergency without the use of special tools”
- “Whilst ensuite doors present the most significant risk, they are important in ensuring consumers feel a sense of normalcy, feel protected and offer a sense of privacy”
Released this year, our new anti-ligature ensuite SHOWER Door System delivers a high-strength solution that reduces risk while ensuring patient privacy and dignity is maintained when using washroom facilities. It features a double-action door leaf that can be opened outwards in an instance mounted to a high-strength continuous anti-ligature hinge.
With an elegant and fully customisable appearance, the SHOWER Door System enhances the healing environment while delivering independently tested strength and durability.
AHIA Guidance for Seclusion Room Doors
- “Doors within this room require higher levels of performance”
- “Single leaf and outward opening to 180°”
- “Wide enough to admit a consumer with at least two escorts (refer to AusHFG Seclusion Room Standard Component)”
- “Robust, solid, with impact resistant construction”
- “Door frames should be sturdy enough to resist repeated targeted levels of force”
- “At least four door hinges, which should be recessed, and pins protected to prevent removal”
- “Door locks are multipoint, heavy duty, quickly secured and released, able to withstand a considerable amount of repeated and targeted force, and resist breakage”
- “Include a viewing panel but this should be specified to resist being damaged or broken”
In line with these recommendations, the Kingsway SECLUSION Door System features a 5-point locking system with slam-lock capability and a wide, impact-resistant door leaf that opens to 180°.
The SECLUSION Door System is flush on the inside and includes an anti-ligature and attack-resistant observation panel that’s controlled from the staff side only.
While the above guidance recommends a minimum of four hinges, the Kingsway SECLUSION Door System utilizes a high-strength continuous hinge to enhance robustness that is fully concealed from the inside when the door is shut.
The Complete Door Solution
The AHIA’s guidance also addresses the ‘complete’ approach, stating that “specifying whole door systems instead of separately specifying and procuring doors, associated hardware, and other components” should be considered.
At Kingsway Group, all our anti-ligature doors are what’s known as ‘Complete’ Door Systems.
This means that each Kingsway door arrives on site as a single pre-assembled unit, pre-hung in its frame with all anti-ligature hardware factory fitted and tested. This approach ensures each component is both compatible with its counterparts and fit for use in a mental health environment, greatly simplifying procurement and installation timelines.
Find out what makes a Kingsway Complete Door System different here.
If you’d like to learn more about our solutions… why not book an online demonstration?
We’ll provide you with live demonstrations of our anti-ligature solutions at a time of your convenience and answer any questions you may have. Simply request a demonstration below and we’ll be in touch!