Improving hospital cleaning standards and supply chain management
The Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, a clinically led NHS Trust, oversees three sites in Surrey: Haslemere Hospital, Milford Hospital, and Cranleigh Village Hospital.The Trust provides integrated care, bridging the gap between hospital and community services, making it imperative that they have a strong supply chain to maintain high-quality healthcare.
Challenges with previous supply route
Initially, their previous supply route met the hospital’s needs. However, challenges became evident, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key issues included:
– Inconsistent stock supply, including frequent shortages and consistently incomplete shortages, disrupting cleaning
– Lack of communication, with the absence of a notification system for incomplete orders leading to further inefficiencies.
These issues, initially minor, escalated and significantly impacted hospital operations.
Addressing supply chain challenges
To address these challenges, the hospital decided to trial Arrow as an alternative supplier.
Arrow’s dedicated account management approach ensured clear and proactive communication, and quick resolution of any issues, with the Trust’s dedicated account manager providing responsive, expert advice and support to all hospitals within the Trust. Arrow’s structured approach ensured better customer service and quick responses to any issues, greatly enhancing operational efficiency.
Following a series of site visits, Arrow introduced trials of various cleaning machinery and cleaning products that we believed would improve cleaning efficiency across hospital sites. This hands-on approach enabled hospital supervisors to evaluate and select the most effective cleaning solutions.
Arrow’s hands-on approach is very beneficial. By letting us trial products and see what products work, we were able to really improve performance of the cleaning products we purchased
Driving operational efficiency
Following consultation with Arrow’s account manager, hospital supervisors adopted Arrow’s unique Andarta® Eliminator range to tackle persistent floor stains across hospitals, resulting in significant improvements. New mops recommended and introduced by Arrow made cleaning heavily stained floors easier, leading to happier and more efficient staff, and improved overall hygiene standards.
The staff like the products and that’s a win. When the staff are happier, they’re going to do a better job.
I was looking for a floor cleaner to get scuffs and ground in marks we used to have something before but it’s not available any more, Dan suggested Eliminator we tried it removed all the marks and scuffs that we were struggling with.
The new micro fibre mop heads with the scrubbing abrasive strips were great on the floors getting stubborn marks off the floor made it a lot easier to mop.
To resolve the issue of logistics and delivery co-ordination, Arrow introduced our order portal to manage the Trusts ordering. The Trust implemented online ordering using Arrows leading Arrow Connect portal to enhance operational efficiency and financial oversight. The intuitive system provided a clear overview of expenses, streamlined the ordering process, and enabled Supervisors to closely track and manage hospital cleaning budgets with greater ease.
Additionally, Arrow’s reliable and flexible delivery service meant deliveries tailored deliveries to suit the hospital’s needs, with Arrow providing upfront information on deliveries that ensured the hospital were informed about the status of their orders.
If I order today, I can get my products next day
Conclusion
Arrow’s comprehensive approach to supply chain management and customer service has greatly benefited the hospital, demonstrating the advantages of working with a dedicated and proactive cleaning product supplier.
The introduction of efficient cleaning products, clear communication, and flexible logistics significantly improved daily operations, ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness and operational efficiency, highlighting in staff feedback across the Trust:
