Elis - The Thread Issue 1 Summer 2024 - Flipbook - Page 31
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CUTTING LINEN LOSSES
AT EAST SURREY
As part of the ongoing Healthcare Textile Improvement Programme
(HTIP), Elis has been working in partnership with Surrey and Sussex
Healthcare NHS Trust to deliver savings as part of the Linen Return
Profile (LRP) initiative. Aimed at delivering improved environmental
performance, enhanced service levels and better value, the LRP
is designed to help customers manage linen stocks more effectively
and reduce losses within the system.
Over a 26-week period, work carried out by Elis
at East Surrey Hospital showed improvements
in stock management equating to an annualised
saving of £148,000. Over £60,000 of this was the
result of cost savings on actual products used due
to actions implemented on site to secure linen and
reduce unnecessary usage, with the remainder
achieved by addressing discrepancies between
order quantities and actual usage.
Previously, East Surrey’s order had been based on
a standing fixed issue per ward. However, it was
discovered that this had caused stockpiling. As a
consequence, a high percentage of linen was being
returned to Elis unused or disappearing throughout
the hospital, resulting in avoidable costs and
charges. Elis helped to address this by organising
linen stocks more effectively and ensuring that supply
was more closely aligned with actual demand.
One of the most significant areas of improvement
was a reduction in the quantity of pyjama
garments required. Usage fell by 70%, representing
an annual saving of £40,000. This was achieved by
better communication between ward managers
and patients visiting for planned hospital stays.
Instead of being handed out freely, pyjama items
are now kept in a central stock store to be given
only if patients have no other alternatives.
Overall, figures taken by Elis from April to May
2023 showed that 20% of linen was going missing
at the hospital. In the five-month period from
August to December 2023 this figure had reduced
to just 5.2%, delivering significant financial savings
while also helping the Trust reduce its carbon
footprint with a saving of over 142TCO2e.
Rent it
Respect it
Return it
Reuse it
Yann Badier, General Manager at Elis Chatham,
which services the hospital, comments: “These
initial results are extremely positive and illustrate
perfectly how Elis can help customers achieve
tangible savings. Our work with East Surrey as part
of the LRP is ongoing as we know that there are
other measures that can be implemented to drive
further improvements, and we look forward to
working with staff on site to achieve even greater
efficiencies as part of this project.”