Re: FW: Laundry Audits

24/01/2019 at 3:26 pm #75031 Quote

Participant

Author:
Marija Juraja

Email:
marija.juraja@sa.gov.au

Organisation:

State:

As per my understanding of the new standard with regard to last points in red. I believe that the overall goverenance for this sists with Executive and including the contractual obligations placed onto the company that is providing that service. We should be auditing internal compliance with provision and storage of clean linen and its removal. My thoughts 🙂

Action 3.12

Review processes for linen handling

Review the movement, supply and handling of clean and used linen in the health service organisation to minimise infection risks associated with linen for both patients and the workforce. This includes linen used for patient care, environmental linen (for example, privacy screens), and linen used by the workforce (for example, theatre scrubs, uniforms). Consider how to:

Minimise excess handling

Ensure effective containment and storage

Optimise traffic flows to minimise contamination of clean linen

Reprocess used linen (methods used, and whether this is done by the health service organisation or an external service).

Ensure that any external services are part of the systems for quality improvement and contracts review addressed in the Clinical Governance Standard.

Kind Regards

Hi All
My understanding for accreditation and food safety requirements is that you should have certification from 3rd party providers.
Fefe Lawson
Director Governance and Corporate Services
Karitane
0419100366

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

——– Original message ——–

Dear All,

Such requests from accreditors in relation to 3rd party laundry service providers should be reported to ACSQHC.

Such requests are setting an unfortunate precedent in which the healthcare facility has no jurisdiction over such providers.

Regards

Glenys

Glenys Harrington
Infection Control Consultancy (ICC)
P.O. Box 6385
Melbourne
Australia, 3004
M: +61 404816434
E: infexion@ozemail.com.au

Hi All,

In some of my previous roles auditing the laundry provider on a regular (annual / second yearly) basis was required and specifically asked for by accreditors. I have also worked in facilities where the provision of compliance documentation from the laundry was considered sufficient by accreditors.

In my current facility an annual audit is carried out of our 3rd party provider but is not the responsibility of IPC.

Kind regards,

IPCU – ‘By working together we promote a culture of safety to reduce preventable infections and transmission of multi-resistant organisms’

Hi Marija

I certainly agree. Similar to sterile stock we purchase (we don’t audit them on AS 4187 compliance, we get documentation they meet requirement), we should have copies of the external laundry provider’s certifications as part of the contract.

There is one external infection control audit group I know of that does request these audits are down by the facility, though. And, I will admit, it gives the ICP an opportunity to visit the laundry annually, which I have found to be useful in order to understand the laundry process and meet the key stakeholders.

Maybe rather than a formal audit, ICP’s could request to visit the external laundry for a tour?

Cheers
Michael

Michael Wishart | Infection Control Coordinator, CICP-E

St Vincent’s Private Hospital Northside | 627 Rode Road CHERMSIDE QLD 4032
T +61 7 3326 3068 | F +61 7 3607 2226
E michael.wishart@svha.org.au |
W https://www.svphn.org.au

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Hi All,

I agree and yes it should be built into the contract ( and something I check when the contracts are due for renewal) for the linen services provided for the organisation and something that can be requested by your Hotel Services Manager.
This is not for us to audit (we have enough as it is to do), but for the service to provide their evidence if required and for us to ensure that linen managed on site is managed within the guidelines/standards.

My thoughts.

Kind Regards

Dear all,

I have heard some hospitals teams are being asked during accreditation about their linen service compliance with Australian and NZ Linen standard 4146:2000.

While this would be appropriate for internal laundry services I would be interested to know of any regulatory requirement for annual/other auditing requirements by hospital staff (infection control/hospital service) when the provider is a 3rd party provider (external)?

Surely compliance with relevant standards/regulations is included contracts with 3rd party providers and hence such providers themselves could be compelled can provide evidence if requested?

It does not seem like a good use of busy infection control/other hospitals personnel resources to be conducting audits (annual or otherwise) on 3rd party providers whom they have no direct jurisdiction over?

Regards

Glenys

Glenys Harrington
Infection Control Consultancy (ICC)
P.O. Box 6385
Melbourne
Australia, 3004
M: +61 404816434
E: infexion@ozemail.com.au
[Description: ICC Diagram ICCversion]

Hi All,

We are currently looking at alternative tools for auditing 3rd party laundry premises. Does anyone have a tool they would be willing to share?

Kind regards,

IPCU – ‘By working together we promote a culture of safety to reduce preventable infections and transmission of multi-resistant organisms’

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