Risks of Theft

You should consider minimising the risks of theft of your computer by taking sensible precautions:

• Be aware of the problem of opportunistic theft – although this is unlikely to be your file server, computers or particularly laptops in consulting rooms left unattended for a few minutes are vulnerable.
• Make sure you know who all visitors are. Patients should be booked in, and other visitors supervised.
• Your reception area should as far as possible not have visible computer terminals. Screen computers with filing cabinets, screens etc in order to hide the machines.
• Security mark your machines – to help in recovery.
• Lock up the surgery premises properly. Install burglar alarms, security grilles, lockable shutters etc.
• Physically bolt your computers down to the desk and chain the monitor. Computer suppliers have a range of products.
• Consider purchasing an audible alarm which is triggered by a motion detector. For networks, Netlock (from Hillier-page) can be installed.
• Chassis locks can prevent the computer case being opened easily, so preventing chip thefts. Keys should be held by the practice manager.