Cleaning up hospital laundry services
By ahhb
Wednesday, 22 October, 2014
Wednesday, 22 October, 2014
With the majority of hospital laundry services being carried out by independent contractors, the industry is working to ensure its processes and standards reflect excellence of practice.

The association鈥檚 national priorities are to:
- Reduce environmental impact
- Facilitate continuous improvement
- Market the Australian laundry industry
- Communicate to all stakeholders
- Address human resource issues
- Review laundry standards
- Advance a national training platform
- Identify R&D to assist the industry
TRLAA president Mario Marini says the association realises it must be able to demonstrate a high standards of compliance听 to have a valued position in the industry. And, while the industry is subject to working under standards regulated by Standards Australia, there are further measures that can be taken.
鈥淲e would really like to work towards an accreditation system where our customers, healthcare businesses and facilities, have a set of guidelines and compliances that we must meet,鈥 Mr Marini says.
鈥淲e need to be accountable and we want our customers to have a form of measuring their expected demands for processes and procedures.鈥
The laundry industry currently works under the following standards:
- IS 9001
- AS 4146 (laundry practices)
- AS 3789 (textiles for Healthcare facilities)
- AS 4187 (code of practice)
- Infection Control
- ACHS Equip (compliance)
- ACORN
鈥淎 lot of these standards are overdue for review,鈥 Mr Marini says. 鈥淎S 4146 has not been updated since 2000.
鈥淎s an industry, we want to be drivers for excellence and accountable to customer
鈥淲e are working with colleagues in the industry to come up with an accreditation program that demonstrates the industry鈥檚 commitment to excellence in practice.

鈥淗ealthcare operated laundries and linen services have a unique understanding and responsibility in terms of their ownership and operating structure. 鈥淎s public healthcare owned businesses there is an empathy and awareness of required standards and outcomes, particularly the Equip standards, matched with business models that meet the respective health care group goals.
鈥淗ealthcare operated laundries and linen services have a unique understanding and responsibility in terms of their ownership and operating structure. 鈥淎s public healthcare owned businesses there is an empathy and awareness of required standards and outcomes, particularly the Equip standards, matched with business models that meet the respective health care group goals.鈥
MARIO MARINI
听
鈥淭here is no obligation for any laundry to follow these codes; however we have an opportunity to lobby our customers and health services to ensure that these requirements are included within supply specifications.
The TRLAA is working on a checklist which provides a reference point to determine the level of compliance.
Compliance measurement can be undertaken internally or through an external source to illustrate greater compliance.
鈥淎s a minimum, laundries should have their own internal systems to illustrate compliance,鈥 Mr Marino explains on behalf of the association.
The desired outcome of the TRLAA is to have all customers agree to include the codes as a contractual requirement and to develop internal and/or external checking system.
鈥淭he result will be better outcomes for health services and better recognition for those who invest in compliance,鈥 Mr Marini explains.
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