How smart lockers are helping UK hospitals to tackle labour shortages

One of the important ways to help with the shortage of healthcare workers is making sure staff have the right tools they need to do their jobs well. No matter how new the technology is, managers must have the basic systems in place to keep things running smoothly.

This shows that the leaders care about their staff’s wellbeing. When workers feel supported, they are more likely to stay. It might sound simple, but many hospitals don’t focus enough on this and sometimes staff don’t have the equipment they need during emergencies.

The challenge: inefficient device management in healthcare facilities

A key issue identified in UK hospitals is the lack of effective device management. Shared medical devices are vital for daily operations, enabling staff to provide timely patient care. However, many organisations struggle with monitoring device allocation and usage.

Common problems identified include:

• Staff hoarding devices in personal spaces without oversight
• Managers having little to no knowledge of which employee is using which device
• Increased financial risk and potential breaches of patient confidentiality
• Overuse of preferred devices leading to premature replacements
• Uncertainty about device condition at the start of shifts due to lack of maintenance systems

The solution: smart locker technology

Smart lockers are becoming increasingly popular in hospitals across the UK. These systems securely store shared devices and provide managers with real-time insights on device check-outs and returns. When everyone knows devices are being tracked, they’re more careful about how they use and return them, creating a safer and more accountable workplace, which is important in busy healthcare settings where staff rely on tools being available and working.

Key benefits of smart locker systems include:

• Secure storage for devices with controlled access
• RFID tagging to track device locations within the facility
• Accountability through audit trails of device usage
• Ability to assign access rights to specific staff members
• Extending the lifespan of devices by promoting even usage
• Potential to decentralise device storage for large hospitals, reducing staff travel time

Seamless integration for improved workflow

When adopting new technology, healthcare facilities must consider how it fits into their existing workflows. Ideally, device management solutions should integrate with the broader access control platform, enabling staff to use a single credential (badge or fob) for both building access and device lockers. This integration simplifies system management and improves security by automatically revoking device access when employee credentials are deactivated, such as after employment termination.

While the integration of new technology can feel overwhelming, to ease this, facilities should start by using smart lockers in one area and see how it goes first, measuring success and gathering feedback.

If it is well received, managers have built-in advocates within the staff members and teams who can recommend the integration into other sectors within the facility, improving overall patient care.

Thousands of hours of clinical engineers' time are saved by using medical library lockers. Engineers can now devote more time to servicing vital equipment to ensure the best patient care.” – A Clinical Engineer in London.

Looking ahead: stay updated with the latest technology tools available

Healthcare technology changes fast. Managers need to keep an eye on new tools that can help staff do their jobs better. This is especially important for new hospitals that can set up good systems from the start.

Using smart lockers and good device management is a smart choice for all hospitals. If staff don’t have the right tools, work gets harder, and patients may not get the care they need.