Skip to main content

Laundry

Published on 06 January 2022

About Laundry and Linen services

There are currently eleven Laundry Production Units (LPUs) across NHS Scotland, of which eight are on the Scottish mainland.

In 2018/19, NHSS Mainland Linen & Laundry services processed over 65 million items, including 530,000 non NHS items. Providing this service cost NHS Scotland £20.2m, excluding any investment in buildings and equipment.

What we do

NHS Scotland sort, store, transport, launder, process and return all laundry ready for the next user. Many steps are locally managed and tailored to the circumstances of each board.

Some laundry facilities of NHS Scotland are on an industrial scale and some (on the islands) are a much smaller operation. However every laundry facility must strive to meet the guidance noted below.

Meeting quality standards

Our laundry service delivers a safe and consistent linen management and reprocessing practice throughout NHS Scotland.

All NHS boards in Scotland must comply with guidance on safe management of linen. This guidance was jointly developed by Health Protection Scotland and Health Facilities Scotland. The document outlines the standards that boards should be operating to for assuring the quality of processed linen.

Download the National Guidance for Safe Management of Linen in NHS Scotland

Get in touch

For more information on our laundry services, please email nss.hfsenquiries@nhs.scot.