Page 20 - HA Convention 2016 [Abstracts (Day 2)]

HOSPITAL AUTHORITY CONVENTION 2016 Special Topics

T11.1 Patient Catering and Laundry Services Management in 10:45 Room 221
Hospital Authority

Food Safety Management System in Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital
Li H
Hong Kong East Cluster, Hospital Authority, Hong Kong

Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) operates a Central Production Unit (CPU) with a staff of 70 full-time
equivalents (FTE). The annual output of 1,800,000kg feeds patients from nine hospitals in the Hospital Authority (HA). With a
floor area of approximately 2000m2, it is one of the largest CPU in the HA.

The CPU was built in the mid-90s with workflow and processes designed according to the concept of Hazard Analysis
Critical Control Point (HACCP). The service was once certified under ISO 9000. As time went by, the safety awareness among
CPU staff had been diminishing when attention had been shifted to other priorities including cost control and environmental
protection. Ageing equipment aggravated the situation when staff had to compromise their practices to cope with the
declining performance of the equipment.

A few incidents involving food safety rang the bell. The department management took an initiative to review the entire
workflow and implement a new Food Safety Management System. There is a defined governance structure with a Food
Safety Policy. Quality and safety controls at the Critical Points (CCP) are identified. Prerequisite programmes (PRP) with
appropriate facilities and equipment harness the infrastructure for production of safe food. Traceability of the food has been
enhanced under a documented system and continuous improvement is possible through auditing and staff training.

Designing a new system is no challenging work compared to the efforts of implementation. It is a cultural change especially
when the staff members are expected to change their work habits. Some changes might be perceived as unnecessary
or inefficient by the staff but they are critical to food safety. Staff engagement is the key to success. Like any safety
management system in the hospital, the Food Safety Management System complements total patient safety.

T11.2 Patient Catering and Laundry Services Management in 10:45 Room 221
Hospital Authority

Enhanced Process Control of Laundry Services in Hospital Authority
Lui A
Business Support Services Department, Hospital Authority, Hong Kong

Wednesday, 4 May The Hospital Authority (HA) inherited 17 laundries of various sizes providing in-house services to the HA hospitals and
government outpatient clinics in 1991. Through rationalisation and re-organisation over the years aiming at improving overall
efficiency and cost-effectiveness, the number of in-house laundries was reduced from 17 to 10 in 2000. The option of inviting
commercial contractors to operate laundries or partial services has also been introduced in a few sites later on to enhance
productivity and flexibility. The current required laundry service capacity of the HA is about 45 Mn Kg annually and is
provided by four modes of delivery including (1) HA in-house operation; (2) HA laundries operated by contractors; (3) laundries
operated by Correctional Services Department (CSD); and (4) commercial contractors.

Laundry service management in the HA is under the purview of Business Support Services Department (BSSD), which is
responsible for corporate planning and development of laundry services in the HA and coordination for urgent back-up and
contingency support in emergency or disaster situations. The corresponding functional committee, the Supporting Services
Development Committee under the HA Board, advises on the related direction and policy. At hospital level, monitoring and
management, risk assessment and improvement planning of the laundry service are overseen by a committee chaired by
Cluster General Manager or General Manager (Administrative Services) and are reported to Hospital Management Committee
or equivalent under the management of Cluster Chief Executive.

The investigation of the incident of mucormycosis infection at Queen Mary Hospital in July 2015 revealed that the source of
infection was originated from patient linen items supplied by a contractor-operated laundry. Whilst the Chief Infection Control
Officer (CICO) undertook to review the Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines for Healthcare Linen, BSSD formed and
steered a Working Group on Service Monitoring of Existing Laundry and Linen Services composed of laundry managers,
hospital managers and representative from CSD to review the critical control points of laundry services and enhance the
process control in the HA laundries and linen exchange rooms. Process control at critical control points is a crucial part of the
laundry operation intertwining different aspects, including (1) workflow design; (2) process audit; (3) technology control; and (4)
staff training. Checklists have been put in place to cover a series of performance measurements as a means to evaluate the
effectiveness of control efforts.

A third party consultant was engaged to conduct a review on the HA laundry services and make recommendations on areas
of improvements. Cross-cluster monitoring of laundry service by laundry managers/hospital managers will also be arranged
to enhance performance management and experience sharing.

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