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Big changes for hospital’s back of house departments
05/02/06
While the high profile construction activities outside Tauranga Hospital continue to capture most people’s attention, behind the scenes significant work is being done to upgrade back of house facilities.
The cleaning, linen, waste, stores and purchasing departments have all moved to refurbished areas. Stores and purchasing are the latest departments to move from cramped quarters on two levels into new premises in the hospital’s old laundry building. Stores staff spent four days moving around 2600 product lines into their new area, which formerly housed the cleaning service, linen service and clinical waste.
As well as holding 2600 different product lines – ranging from bandages, dental and theatre equipment – the stores department also has medical stock for patients in the community, dental surgeries and Whakatane Hospital.
The hospital’s purchasing and supply manager Don Shewan says moving the stores department was a huge logistical exercise and involved six months of planning. Wards at both Tauranga and Whakatane hospitals were advised to stock up prior to the shift and supply companies and couriers were asked not deliver goods during the shift.
The extra useable space in the new area means there will be greater efficiencies and more room for storage, less double handling of goods by warehouse staff and greater ability to purchase items in improved economic quantities. Stores staff will also be able to introduce new processes for the flow of goods that are delivered to the warehouse, stored and then despatched to wards.
Simple initiatives that were prohibitive in the previous area are now possible, such as placing most frequently used stock near packing tables and less frequently items further away, saving staff time, Don says.
“It will eliminate the double and triple handling of stock, up and down stairs and lifts, and will give us better ability to hold stock in a way that is more cost effective to the organisation.”
Previously space was so scarce there was no room for a pallet to be delivered into the stores area. Staff took goods from the pallet and put them onto a trolley, which was wheeled into the warehouse and then the goods unloaded and stacked.
“Now our inwards good person will be able to receive goods from the truck on our forklift and take the forklift right into the building,” Don says. “It is going to reduce a huge amount of double handling and speed the whole process up.”
Outwards and inwards goods will be despatched through different entrances.
The new premises includes a temperature controlled room which will be used to store items which need to be kept at a constant temperature and humidity. Around 20 per cent of all stock falls into this category. A mezzanine floor provides procurement offices for around six people.
The back of house projects have also given the hospital the opportunity to revamp its waste disposal methods. It hopes to save around $30,000 a year by introducing new waste disposal and collection methods. Education sessions have been held around the hospital to encourage staff to correctly segregate waste into the correct waste streams.
The back of house project will finish this month when the old stores and purchasing areas is converted to office space.