COVER STORY
recognise that a positive, forward- thinking change in attitude to laundry can have far more benefits than dealing with issues as and when they occur. In fact, nearly two thirds have said that they would like to proactively make changes to their laundries to realise improvements in processes now and in the future.
One of these changes is the adoption of a fully managed linen rental and outsourced laundry model, which is becoming an increasingly popular choice for care homes looking for a more reliable and cost effective alternative to troublesome in- house set-ups. This way of working removes the hassle of having to handle all the many different aspects of laundry processes – labour, machines, servicing, infection control and detergents, for example – and replaces them with a single, predictable cost for simpler budgeting. In terms of the practicalities, 46% of care homes say saving staff time is the biggest potential benefit of outsourcing their laundry services.
Aside from the cost and planning benefits, outsourcing has a number of additional advantages for care home businesses. Working with an experienced laundry services specialist, such as Berendsen, means outsourcing is extremely straightforward as the provider handles the entire process. It begins by establishing a tailored yet flexible schedule based on usage, bed changing policies and residents’ unique
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needs that sees laundry collected, washed, dried, finished and packed before being delivered back to the customer’s site at the agreed time.
way. This method removes the need for staff within the care home to painstakingly label all bedding, towels and residents’ clothing.
Perhaps most importantly, the laundered textiles are finished to an exceptionally high standard and each item goes through rigorous, industrial decontamination processes to ensure ultimate hygiene. In particular, partnering with Berendsen guarantees instant adherence to globally-recognised, best practice infection control guidelines, including the Department of Health’s HTM 01-04: Decontamination of linen for health and social care standard and BS EN 14065 on bio-contamination control in processed textiles, for complete peace of mind.
The problem of lost items of laundry is also eliminated. Berendsen uses track and trace technology to allow for enhanced stock management and item traceability. This works by having a small label sewn in to every item of linen and residents’ clothing. These are then picked up and analysed by readers that are positioned strategically around Berendsen’s facility and at the customer base to identify exactly where each article is at any point throughout the laundry cycle.
Beyond being able to just see where items are, the track and trace system flags up any special care needs to ensure residents’ items are properly cared for in the most appropriate
As problems continue to plague in-house laundries, it is clear that outsourcing represents a far superior alternative for ensuring a consistently high-quality supply of clean linens in care homes. Partnering with a reliable and experienced provider takes away the strain and lets management and staff take back control, leaving them with more space and time to concentrate on putting residents’ needs first for a happier home and better performing business all round.
There really has never been a better time to explore the idea of outsourced laundry!
www.berendsen.co.uk/care - 13 -
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