University Hospitals North Midlands

The situation

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust operates two major teaching hospitals: the Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital in Stafford. When COVID-19 arrived, the hospitals faced an immediate operational challenge. Symptomatic staff and visitors could transmit infection to vulnerable patients. The hospital needed to identify people with elevated temperatures before they entered patient areas.

The initial approaches involved manual screening: staff with handheld thermometers checking everyone at entrances. This was slow, labour-intensive and inconsistent. Some people could avoid detection by the time they reached screening. The hospitals needed a system that could screen continuously, without stopping people, and provide data that might identify emerging trends.

Mark Bostock, Director of Information Management and Technology, recognised that thermographic screening technology could serve this function. But this wasn’t just about detection. This was about institutional learning. If the hospital installed screening systems, staff would know they were there. That knowledge itself could reduce complacency and prompt people to think twice before coming to work when they might be unwell.

What SCC did

SCC installed eight thermographic cameras at Royal Stoke to screen staff and visitors. These weren’t simple temperature checks. Thermographic cameras detect thermal radiation. They can identify people with elevated body temperatures as they walk past. The system could process dozens of people per minute without slowing workflow.

The implementation required integration with hospital security and patient flow systems. Where should cameras be positioned? How should the hospital handle alerts? What privacy considerations apply? Who sees the data? SCC worked with the trust to design a system that was effective but also aligned with hospital operations and privacy protocols.

The technology was non-invasive. People didn’t stop. They didn’t have to take off masks or adjust clothing. A walk past the camera was sufficient. The screening happened without adding friction to hospital traffic flow.

What changed

The Royal Stoke had continuous monitoring of staff and visitor temperatures. Elevated readings triggered alerts that allowed the hospital to follow up and prevent potential transmission. The system also created a behavioural shift. Staff knew that temperature screening was in place. That awareness alone prompted people to be more cautious about coming to work when unwell.

The trust also gained data. By analysing patterns in thermographic readings, they could identify potential infection surges early and take preventive action before an outbreak became widespread. The technology became part of the hospital’s infection control infrastructure.

What the client learned

Mark Bostock articulated the learning: “SCC’s Thermographic Screening solutions enable us to use technology as an early warning signal to protect against complacency and a second outbreak.” The hospital learned that the value of screening wasn’t just detection. It was creating an alert system that prompted institutional vigilance. The thermographic cameras said, without words, “we’re watching for risk.” That signal mattered to staff and visitors. It reinforced that the hospital took infection control seriously and encouraged people to take it seriously too.