Care homes use thermal cameras to check temperatures for COVID-19

Care homes run by St Monica Trust have installed thermal imaging cameras at entrances to check everyone's temperatures.

Anyone arriving at one of the group's care homes will have their temperature checked by a camera named ‘Dr Malcolm’.

If a person's temperature is below 37.8 degrees, they can enter the care home.

But if the camera detects a temperature of 37.8 degrees or higher, the individual will be told to wait outside for a member of staff.

The overhead cameras have been installed in the ceiling at the main entrance of all four of the group’s care homes in Bristol and North Somerset.

David Williams. chief executive of St Monica Trust said: “The safety of our residents and our staff at St Monica Trust is our top priority.

“The thermal cameras are the latest in a series of interventions that we put in place in order to increase the safety levels within our care homes”.

The camera called ‘Dr Malcolm’ has been named after a care home resident who worked as a leading anaesthetist at Southampton General Hospital.

Referring to the resident Dr Malcolm, Fran Ashby, manager at St Monica Trust's The Garden House care home said: “When we asked him if he would be part of the thermal imaging programme he had a little twinkle in his eye and said ‘Yes that’s fine, as long as it’s called Dr Malcolm”.

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