A complete guide to laundry in healthcare facilities

In hospital environments, maintaining clean and hygienic laundry is crucial for patient well-being and infection control. This comprehensive guide delves into the essential aspects of hospital laundry services, from the meticulous sorting and cleaning of linens to advanced sanitisation and disinfection techniques. It highlights the rigorous standards and accreditations that distinguish hospital laundry services from other commercial operations, ensuring a safe and sterile environment. For healthcare providers seeking reliable and accredited laundry solutions, this resource offers valuable insights and tips for choosing the right service provider.

Raghav Patel

15th May 2024

Business & Insights

Healthcare

Clean and hygienic laundry is a must for hospital environments, playing a pivotal role in safeguarding patient well-being and preventing the spread of infections. Hospital laundry services are tasked with various responsibilities, including sorting, cleaning, sanitising, and disinfecting linens.

From the intricacies of sorting and cleaning to the paramount significance of sanitisation and disinfection, this guide offers the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions regarding your hospital's laundry requirements.

Understanding the role of hospital laundry services and standards

Hospital laundry services differ from other commercial services, offering more rigorous checks, standards and accreditations. This includes a variety of tasks vital for maintaining a clean and safe environment within healthcare facilities.

Sorting: An integral step in the laundry service process involves meticulous sorting. Utilising colour-coded bags for distinct types of linens – ranging from bed sheets to towels – ensures easy identification and prevents potential mix-ups.

Cleaning: The cleaning of hospital linens involves the use of detergent or sanitiser devoid of bleach and enzymes. Various methods are employed depending on the type of item, such as machine washing or specialised washer techniques for towels.

Sanitising: Hospital linen undergoes a thorough sanitisation process involving cleaning and disinfection. This is achieved through chemical sanitisers, sterilisers, and diverse methods including dry or wet heat, and ethylene oxide gas.

Disinfecting: Disinfection of items, including surgical garments, drapes, gowns, blankets, bed linens, and pillows, involves employing chemical oxidisers or disinfectants to ensure a safe and hygienic hospital environment.

How we do things at Oxwash

Advanced disinfection solutions

Our disinfection methods, tested and validated by an independent third party, CCD, boast a 99.99999% effectiveness against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Utilising our Ozone process, a specialised sterilisation technique, we eliminate tough germs and odours without generating toxic waste.

And, post-COVID-19, our hospital laundry services played a pivotal role in ensuring linens and textiles' thorough disinfection within healthcare environments.

Sustainable and quality-centric approach

We prioritise sustainability and patient well-being by employing biodegradable, fragrance-free, and cruelty-free detergents. Powered by potent yet natural emulsifiers, our meticulous cleaning approach ensures the removal of the toughest stains while safeguarding patients with allergies and skin sensitivities.

This dedication to quality guarantees that our medical laundry services meet the highest standards of cleanliness, comfort, and care, effectively prolonging the lifespan of linens, scrubs, and gowns.

Accredited and compliant services

Being the first carbon-neutral medical laundry service accredited by EN 14065 underscores our commitment to providing sustainable healthcare laundry solutions. Compliance with Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 01-04 regulations established by the Department of Health ensures our delivery of hygienic and reliable hospital laundry services to the NHS and the broader healthcare industry.

Additionally, our recognition as a NOE CPC supplier for 2023-2027 under LOT 1, 3 & 4, coupled with our ongoing pursuit of ISO 9001 accreditation, signifies our dedication to excellence and adherence to industry standards.

Tips for choosing the right hospital laundry service provider for you

Service quality: Assess the provider's service quality by examining contract terms, support levels, order completion times, and query response times.

Reputation: Opt for providers with a solid track record and extensive experience, ensuring reliable and high-quality service.

Sustainability: Look for providers that employ environmentally conscious practices, such as biodegradable detergents, energy-efficient machines, and water-saving technologies, to ensure your hospital's laundry needs are met responsibly and sustainably.

Pricing: Compare pricing structures to find a provider offering competitive rates without compromising service quality.

Equipment and chemicals: Check the quality of equipment and chemicals used by the provider, as these significantly impact service excellence.

Accreditations: Look for providers with all required equipment, accreditations and expertise.

Prioritising patient safety with healthcare laundry services standards

Healthcare laundry services standards are fundamental to maintaining a safe and hygienic environment in healthcare facilities. Adhering to these guidelines ensures that textiles used in patient care meet the highest cleanliness and safety standards, contributing significantly to infection prevention and overall patient well-being.

As well as finding a laundry partner you can trust, you’ll need to look for a provider with the correct healthcare laundry services standards and accreditations. So you know that your laundry is being handled by experts, with care.

If you want to learn more about our healthcare laundry services here at Oxwash, find all our information here.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR SERVICES?

Get in touch for a more in-depth understanding of what we do, and how we can help you.

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