Wireless digital locking for care homes, nursing homes and assisted living. Decide who can open every door and when, block lost keys in seconds and keep a record of access to sensitive rooms, without cabling or disruption to residents.
A care home access control system replaces mechanical keys with digital locks and credentials, so you decide who can open each door, and when. SimonsVoss fits wireless digital cylinders and smart handles to your existing doors without cabling, so you can block a lost credential in seconds, give agency staff time-limited access and see who entered sensitive rooms such as the medication room.
It works for a single residential home and for care groups with many sites, all managed from one system.
30+ yearsdeveloping digital locking and access control
Made in Germanydeveloped and produced by SimonsVoss
ISO 27001certified information security
NHS referenceRavenswood House, Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Foundation Trust
Everyday challenges
Familiar care home problems, solved
Keys go missing, staff change shifts, agency carers start at short notice and some rooms must stay restricted. Digital access control handles all of it from one place.
“Another key has gone missing?”
A carer leaves without returning a key, or one disappears on a night shift. Block the lost credential in seconds and issue a new one. No locksmith, no new cylinders, no security gap.
“Who can get into the medication room?”
Restrict medication rooms and clinical storage to authorised nurses, and see every entry in the audit trail.
“Agency staff starting tonight?”
Issue a credential that opens only the doors they need, only for their shift, and expires automatically.
“Can staff get through fast in an emergency?”
Authorised staff open every door they need with one credential, while residents and visitors stay within the areas set for them.
Interactive floor plan
Which locks go where? Explore a typical care home
Select an area to see the SimonsVoss component typically used there, and why. Every home is different, so your specialist confirms the right setup door by door.
Illustrative layout. Select a number to see the recommended component.
Keep the front door open to visitors during visiting hours and secure the rest of the time. The SmartRelay controls your existing electric door opener, with time profiles set centrally.
Residents can open their own room with a credential, supporting privacy and independence, while authorised carers can always get in. Smart handles fit existing doors with minimal work.
Protect resident files, cabinets and drawers with electronic furniture locks that use the same credentials as your doors, alongside smart handles on office doors.
Control who can leave a secure dementia unit while keeping escape routes usable in an emergency. Versions for doors with panic hardware are available, and your specialist checks fire and escape requirements door by door.
Mechanical keys vs digital access control in care homes
How SimonsVoss digital locking compares with a traditional key system on the issues care providers raise most.
Challenge
Mechanical keys
SimonsVoss digital access control
Lost or stolen keys
Replace cylinders and cut new keys
Block the credential in seconds and issue a new one
High staff turnover
Collect and reissue keys, often incompletely
Update permissions centrally, with no locks to change
Agency staff and contractors
Hand over keys and hope they come back
Time-limited access that expires automatically
Medication security
No record of who opened the door
Restricted access with a full audit trail
Emergency response
Search for the right key
One credential opens every door a carer is authorised for
Several homes or buildings
Separate key systems at each site
Central management across all sites
Resident safety
Doors are either locked or open
Controlled zones and secure units, with staff override
How it works
How access control works in a care home
SimonsVoss systems fit into care environments without disruption, in four steps.
Fit digital locks
Digital cylinders and smart handles replace existing locks, typically without wiring or major building work.
Set permissions
Define who can open which doors, and when, by role: carers, nurses, managers, agency staff and contractors.
Issue credentials
Staff open doors with credentials: transponders, cards, PIN codes or their smartphone.
Monitor and adapt
Change permissions instantly and review access activity whenever you need to.
Why care providers trust SimonsVoss
Experience & expertise
More than 30 years of experience. Developed and produced in Germany.
Quality assurance
Certified to ISO 27001 for information security.
Investment security
SimonsVoss components are backward compatible, so you avoid costly system changes later.
Flexibility
Fittings, cylinders and credentials are easy to replace or adapt, so your system stays future-proof.
Retrofit at your own pace
Start with one area and expand whenever you want.
Easy installation without cabling
No drilling needed. Installation is discreet and quick, even while the home is fully occupied.
Certified partner network
Expert advice and installation by certified SimonsVoss partners.
Service and support from the manufacturer
User training, maintenance contracts on request and technical support.
UK healthcare reference
Ravenswood House, Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Foundation Trust
The secure mental health hospital needed to replace mechanical keys across five wards, retrofit onto existing doors without compromising fire certification, and preserve patient dignity. SimonsVoss System 3060, combined with Safe Access Evolution from Anti-Ligature Shop, delivered wireless access control and patient-operated room access with staff override.
Secure, wireless access with audit trails and lockdown functionality
Patients open their own rooms, increasing autonomy and dignity
No more lost keys or manual rekeying, reducing long-term costs
Modular design, so the Trust can expand ward by ward
Care homes face the same priorities: dignity, staff override, retrofit onto existing doors and audit-ready records.
You ask, we answer. Frequently asked questions about access control in care homes
What is the best access control system for care homes?
The best system lets you manage staff permissions, secure restricted areas and improve resident safety without relying on traditional keys. A wireless digital system such as SimonsVoss System 3060 fits existing doors, blocks lost credentials in seconds and records access to sensitive rooms.
Can digital locks be installed in an existing care home?
Yes. SimonsVoss wireless digital locks are designed for retrofit projects and occupied buildings. Installation needs no cabling and very little building work, so the home can carry on running normally while the system goes in.
How does access control improve resident safety?
Digital access control restricts access to sensitive and unsafe areas, supports secure units such as dementia wings, helps staff respond quickly in emergencies and reduces the risk of unauthorised movement, while still giving residents access to their own rooms.
What happens if a member of staff loses a key or credential?
With mechanical keys, a lost key often means new cylinders and a security gap. With SimonsVoss you block the lost credential in seconds and issue a new one, without replacing any locks.
Can we give agency staff and contractors temporary access?
Yes. Access can be limited to specific doors, days, times or date ranges. That suits agency carers, visiting healthcare professionals, cleaning teams and maintenance contractors, and the access expires automatically.
Can staff permissions be updated remotely?
Yes. Administrators grant, change or revoke permissions centrally, which makes it easy to manage shift workers, contractors and temporary staff. With a networked System 3060, changes reach the doors without anyone visiting them.
Does access control help with CQC inspections?
SimonsVoss does not certify CQC compliance, but digital access control can support it. Role-based permissions keep sensitive areas restricted to authorised staff, and audit trails provide a record of who accessed rooms such as the medication room and when, which supports safe medicines management and good record-keeping.
Can one system manage several care homes?
Yes. System 3060 is built for multi-site organisations. Several homes, buildings or wings can be managed centrally, with permissions organised across sites and changed whenever you need.
Are wireless access control systems secure?
Yes. SimonsVoss systems use encrypted communication and secure credential management to protect buildings and sensitive areas. SimonsVoss is certified to ISO 27001 for information security.
Is digital access control worth the investment for a care home?
In many facilities the investment pays for itself through lower admin effort, fewer lost keys and no costly cylinder replacements, while security and accountability improve. Our team can prepare a detailed quote for your home.
Can SimonsVoss work with our existing building systems?
Yes. System 3060 suits both new builds and existing buildings, so you can modernise step by step. With SmartIntego, SimonsVoss components can also connect to existing building management and access control systems.
Request a free site assessment
Tell us about your care home or care group and our UK team will get back to you to discuss your doors, your residents and your priorities.
What you get:
A recommended setup for your home, door by door
Advice on where to start and how to expand
Installation through a certified SimonsVoss partner
