Alberta Health Services is seeking proposals from third party providers interested in taking on laundry services at healthcare facilities across the province.
This request for proposals follows an announcement last week from Health Minister Tyler Sahndro directing AHS to outsource laundry, lab and food services to the private sector in order to cut costs.
“AHS is working hard to find efficiencies and savings within the health system to fund growth and improve service delivery to Albertans. Alberta’s government fully supports these efforts,” says Tyler Shandro, Minister of Health. “By reinvesting savings from initiatives such as contracting out laundry services into the health system, we can improve patient care and ensure Albertans are provided with the best possible health care.”
AHS says the proposal process for laundry services will take about four months to complete and the implementation timeline will then depend on which third party vendor is selected.
The transition to fully private sector service will eliminate the need for $38 million in laundry infrastructure upgrades, according to AHS.
This change will impact about 428 full-time, part-time and casual employees, but AHS says it’s committed to working with them and their unions, and also anticipates that there will be some employment opportunities with the new private vendor.