Laundry problems and disposable linen

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33382, 14 November 1973, Page 18

Laundry problems and disposable linen

There were many difficulties in using disposable materials for bed linen, theatre sheets, and uniforms in hospitals, said the chief executive of the North Canterbury Hospital Board (Mr J. G. Laurenson) yesterday. He was replying to a sug-l gestion made in a letter to I "The Press” that such I materials be used in view of the board’s recent laundering j difficulties. It was reported at the last! monthly meeting of the board that difficulties with laundering at the Christchurch Hospital had caused the admission of 117 patients on the waiting list to be postponed. Most of the trouble was, caused bv a lack of staff. The writer of the letter, I “A. Doctor,” said the fact 1 that i dmissions from the' waiting list had had to be postponed underlined “the I shortcomings of dependence: upon what is, surely, an out-: !moded system.” STRIKE IN U.K. Earlier this year, he said, hospital ancillary works in! the United Kingdom had gone on strike and soiled linen had piled up. It was only then that serious attention had been given to shortlife and disposable nonwovens — such as bedding, theatre sheets, and uniforms — which had been on the market foi some years. ‘Hospital authorities and staff had rejected manufacturers’ overtures because of prejudice,” he said. “It will be interesting to see if hospitals in the United Kingdom accept this challenge permanently, as is becoming the case in the United States, ior revert to habits of the past. “One hopes that the North Canterbury Hospital Board I will go into the matter of alternatives to laundered fabrics without delay, and avoid a crisis. “Manufacturers abound in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Continent who would be glad to meet our needs, were it not for import control. There seems to be only one manufacturersconverter of viscose rayon and similar non-wovens in New Zealand, and the range I available is very limited. The only alternative is importation. “The vast laundry comiPlexes could be replaced by,

stores simple to operate; [staff problems would diminish; and it would be cheaper (in the end. Why wait for a major crisis?” The demand for disposable [linen was not enough in New Zealand to encourage local ; manufacture; and the cost I could be far too high, said Mr Laurenson. On a recent visit to Christchurch, a laundry consultant had told the board that an exercise at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York had showed that the use of disposable linen was too expensive. If supplies were available! in Christchurch, there would] have to be a cost-benefit i iStudy to determine the eco-i nomics of the proposal, Mri Laurenson said. A consider-; able quantity would be required. which posed problems; (of storage, security, and,| ;above all, continuity of supply.

Some of the items were made of paper, of which there was a world shortage at present, said Mr Laurenson. As far as uniforms were concerned, he understood that only disposable gowns were made, and the great bulk of uniforms would still be required in conventional materials. “In summary, although the proposal has merit and would certainly overcome some of the pressure problems in the laundry, there are other considerations of cost, supply, shortage, and disposal of the; discarded items to be taken [ [into account, as well as manu-i (facturing or importing prob-; lerns,” Mr Laurenson said. ( At present, the staff posi-i (tion at the laundry was satis(factory, but some who were (helping out would be happy |to give up their jobs if more (permanent staff was availlable, he said.