NEWS UPDATE UK


NHS linen managers and suppliers Forum: aspirational, practical and refreshingly down-to-earth


The recent Society of Hospital Linen Services and Laundry Managers (SHLSLM) Forum fielded a diverse array of speakers who addressed issues from preventive maintenance, through procurement to recycling and utilising polyester and cotton and thence to the perennial problem of linen loss and abuse of linen and what to do about it.


SHLSLM chair Dave Grimshaw welcomed delegates to the Parkway Hotel and Spa at Cwmbran in Wales on 15-16 October saying it was good to see faces old and new alike. He added: “We have a nice selection of speakers across a broad spectrum so there is something for everyone.”


Preventive maintenance planning


With the preliminaries safely out of the way, the first speaker was Paul Haden, managing director of Laundry Engineering Services, which does a significant amount of work for NHS laundries, with engineers covering from Kent to Scotland. He was keen to stress that laundry safety is key and that paying attention to preventive maintenance planning (PPM) is how to achieve that while also anticipating problems that could result in unwanted disruptive and costly downtime. “I am trying to get you to think about where you can do something different to think ahead a little bit more. There is always a time when things don’t work, so maximise functionality. Production patterns if disrupted can have a major effect on results. PPM isn’t just about paperwork. PPM is about having a schedule, a plan, to do things on aa regular basis. You will notice the change when you get your head around it. Of course, it is impossible to eliminate every issue.


Designing for recyclability Tim Cross, founder of The Circular Textiles Foundation, proclaimed that we must get used to the idea that polyester is the way forward whether we like it or not. He wants to accelerate world-wide change by bridging the gap between responsible production and scalable recycling. Cross helps brands design for sustainability while reducing environmental impact, driving practical solutions that transform the ways


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businesses approach sustainability. His message was that polyester, far from being the enemy, is a fantastic vehicle for making all sorts of textiles that can perpetuate closed loop recycling ie., where they are recycled back into production rather than becoming waste.


For those who believe polyester is limited in the purposes it can be used for, he blew that assumption out to the water. Delegates also heard that The Salvation Army vehicle fleet is being used for collection of garments for recycling as it has a very efficient transport network across the nation.


Linen and laundry challenges Emma Clyne, principal category manager and Jo Goodwin, category manager at NHS Shared Business Services were on hand to discuss public sector procurement and framework agreements. Of course, the perennial problem of linen loss and misplacement was discussed. “Blame the nurses” somebody cried out to general hilarity from the audience but behind the amusement was frustration. As one delegate pointed out: “If you can’t make people responsible for losses nothing will happen. There are no repercussions.” Somebody else commented: “It is easier to write a check and buy a new towel than it is to try to address the problem.” This in turn raised a response from the audience that RFID technology should be given a chance in the NHS. “Perhaps it is time for the younger generation to be educated about its benefits. It does work,” said Philip Ghosh of SHLSLM supplier partner Biko UK. Prior to joining Biko UK, Ghosh worked for nearly a decade on RFID projects in the UK, selling Tagsys (now HID) products.


“If potential nursing staff and healthcare professionals could learn about textile care as part of their training, or at the very least include it as part of induction, then we are educating the new generations on what the correct procedures are and to let the laundry make the decisions on whether linen should be washed or discarded. If we don’t change attitudes and training then the problems will just continue to exist.” The subject of washing nurses’ uniforms at home in domestic washers – which results in very poor infection control –


CIRCULAR ROUTE: Tim Cross, left, founder of The Circular Textiles Foundation, proclaimed that we must get used to the idea that polyester is the way forward whether we like it or not. He wants to accelerate world- wide change by bridging the gap between responsible production and scalable recycling


also came up, but with every trust having its own guidelines, not even rules, until such time as these policies are made by the NHS centrally this practice will inevitably continue. However, the speakers did promise to feed back concerns and suggestions up the chain on both RFID and domestic washing of uniforms.


Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust (F&TCT)


F&TCT chief executive Anna Pangbourne told delegates that over the past five years the charity has ward £33,000 to families who work in the textile care sector. She shared details of how SHLSLM’s 2024 donation has supported the Trust’s work ensuring the children of textile care workers undergoing financial hardship receive essential items. As well as SHLSLM, nine other UK textile care companies are supporting the charity.


From private to public SHLSLM delegates next heard from Graham Roberts Tech IOSH, MILT, who with 20 years of laundry experience, successfully made the transition from the private sector to the NHS. Before moving across, he was employed at Johsons Hotel Linen in Chester as production manager. Roberts spoke of his experiences on his laundry journey and his current role.


He is part of a dedicated team of around 20,000 staff looking after over one million people across the area, as well as providing more specialist services to patients from


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