Providing a suitable environment for the care of residents with mental health needs is important in improving their wellbeing while also ensuring safety for both residents and healthcare workers. The Department for Health provides guidelines for the design and provision of facilities in Medium Secure Units that is intended to create a space that caters to the needs of patients during their stay.

What is a Medium Secure Unit

A Medium Secure Unit (MSU) is an environment providing clinical and therapeutic care for patients who may present a danger to themselves or others.

Patients in an MSU have a diverse range of mental health needs, and as such, the design of the facility needs to be flexible to cater to different requirements and be safe.

Lighting for Medium Secure Units

Guidance for the design of Medium Secure Units concentrates on comfort and patient safety as key priorities.

Creating a comfortable, restful environment

Lighting specification for MSUs encourages the use of lighting that complements the interior design to create an environment where patient spaces are relaxed with a domestic ambience rather than having an institutional atmosphere.

Colour Schemes that reduce stress coupled with low glare light fittings help to improve patient comfort – particularly among those with conditions that make them susceptible to sensitivity from bright lighting.

Safe MSU lighting

When it comes to patient safety, there are multiple areas that should be considered, and the fixtures used in the lighting system should minimise the potential for self-harm.

The use of anti-ligature lighting is vitally important, as is the material choice for shades and diffusers which should avoid glass or other fragile materials that could be dangerous.

Under the guidelines laid out by the department for health concerning lighting for Adult Medium Secure Units, lighting needs to meet or exceed impact requirements (IK10).  To achieve IK10 certification, lighting must be tested to survive:

• A 15 minute sustained attack using a 36x36x100mm hardwood shaft to replicate a chair leg and stop attempts to prise it from its fitting
• 15 consecutive blows using a 1.2KG rubber mallet drawn 100m back from the fitting to simulate being punched or kicked repeatedly
• Testing of up to 45 minutes against a sustained attach using a small tool such as a spoon that a resident may have access to

These standards provide a framework for lighting that will protect patient safety.

Smart lighting controls for Medium Secure Units

In most MSU facilities, patients have some direct control of lighting in personal spaces, however staff should also have the ability to control lighting from a central control system at their base.

The use of smart lighting control systems to schedule different lighting levels during day and night helps to maintain structure during the day and night cycle which is helpful for patient wellbeing and encourages normal sleep patterns.

Modern lighting control systems feature the ability to adjust colour temperature and brightness.  This benefits residents and staff alike, providing an environment that is calming and comfortable while also providing the flexibility to increase illumination levels when necessary to support monitoring.

Find out more

Speak to our specialist healthcare lighting team to learn more about our range of anti-ligature lighting systems and secure lighting suited to an MSU project.