Seven Whakatane laundry staff are being forced to change employers following the Bay of Plenty District Health Board's decision to contract out the Whakatane Hospital laundry service.

Spotless Services Ltd is awarded the contract to deliver the laundry and linen service to Whakatane Hospital and the laundry's community clients, says BOPDHB's chief operating Officer, Pete Chandler.

Whakatane Hospital's laundry is to close

The BOPDHB, in partnership with Spotless Services Ltd, is in discussion with the staff about their options for on-going employment, or, in the event that they request it, voluntary redundancy, as the laundry will close over the next few weeks.

'It is important to us that we look after our laundry staff, who have been doing a great job despite the poor accommodation and unreliable equipment,” says Pete.

'So we have taken a somewhat unprecedented stance of guaranteeing alternative jobs for the seven staff who will be affected by any change.

'Historically the laundry has provided an informal laundry service for a number of community clients and this community service will continue to be maintained and the community clients will be notified of this decision.”

The decision comes after more than two years work, including the publishing of a consultation document and four weeks consultation with staff and stakeholders.

The process attracted two submissions and a petition signed by nearly 1000 people.

Staff have been informed of the decision, and are about to go into one on one meeting to discuss their circumstances, before deciding whether to transfer to Spotless Services Ltd, says Pete.

'The decision to close the hospital laundry is made because the old-style hospital laundry is no longer able to meet industry standards.”

The BOPDHB is unable to continue to ensure laundered clinical items are safely cleaned and thermally disinfected before being re-used by patients.

As well as the laundry building being unsuitable, the linen cleaning equipment is outdated and unreliable.

'When the decision was made to invest $70 million in a new hospital for the Eastern Bay of Plenty population, we wanted to create the best patient and staff facilities that we could,” says Pete.