There has been a lot of concern raised in the community about our decision to switch laundry providers, at a savings of $500,000 a year to HSN. Some of you have questions about the process we followed to select a new provider for laundry services and whether we did everything possible to preserve local jobs.
We understand your concerns. Our decision to switch contractors was not an easy one, and is no reflection on the management or employees of Sudbury Hospital Services (SHS). They do excellent work.
We made this decision because our top priority and responsibility is to our patients. We have a duty to maintain and even advance the care we offer with the resources we have. With that responsibility in mind, we simply cannot overlook the half-million dollars we will save each year for clean laundry. This is money we can invest in front-line patient care.
Every year we have reviewed our contract with SHS. Over the years SHS has worked hard to offer us a service at their best price, one that still makes sense for their business and their employees. But good stewardship demands that we explore all available options to ensure we get the best value for public dollars. We are not in a position to ignore savings of this magnitude.
The $500,000 in savings does take into account costs for transportation. Some of you have raised concerns about the availability of linens, given the supply will be coming from out of town. HSN already has contingency supplies on site for a variety of emergency situations, including late shipments.
We know this decision is causing hardship for the employees at SHS and their families, and we are genuinely sorry for that hardship. It’s not a decision made lightly, but rather, one that reflects the balance of responsibility we have to our patients.
We are also mindful of our responsibility to the community. Our actions are taken to ensure we can provide you with care that is accessible and of the highest quality. That is our commitment and duty to you.
Thank you.
Health Sciences North