UK
St Andrew’s Healthcare has spoken about its bespoke laundry equipment service contract from Electrolux Professional that supports the smooth running of the on-premises laundries (OPLs) at its three hospitals and two community sites. St Andrew’s is a mental health charity the purpose of which is to inspire hope for those living with complex mental health needs. The charity work in partnership with NHS, voluntary, academic and research organisations to deliver specialist inpatient and community mental healthcare services.

The partnership with Electrolux Professional ensures St Andrews receives the manufacturer’s Essentia package, which guarantees regular maintenance to its sites situated across Northampton, Birmingham and Essex, which care for around 650 service users.

The Northampton site has more than 40 wards served by a central OPL with 12 washers and 12 dryers of various sizes up to 45kg. At Birmingham and Essex, with eight and six wards respectively, each contains four washers, four dryers and one ironer.

With a large breadth of equipment of various ages and sizes, the Essentia contract has been tailored to cover legacy products and equipment from differing manufacturers, helping to extend their lifespan and minimise the risk of downtime and unexpected maintenance costs. It also provides a reduced admin burden by not requiring purchase orders to be raised for individual jobs.

Gary Eccles, strategic sourcing manager at St Andrew’s Healthcare, said: “Essentia gives us the security of ongoing support across our five OPLs. The regular maintenance will help minimise equipment downtime and keep equipment in peak working condition. 

Paul Frost, country manager UK & Ireland at Electrolux Professional, said: “Minimising downtime and maximising efficiency are two crucial components of a successful laundry operation. 

Eccles concluded: “We worked in partnership to look at our operation, determine what we need and as a result our agreement is completely bespoke. As our facilities have changed, we have the flexibility to adjust our package to ensure it is always exactly what is required.

“Having an attentive direct account manager also helps make communication easier and slicker – they know our operation well. The team always acts professionally, politely and with the knowledge to offer the charity advice as needed.”

Find out more about Essentia here.