Discover how our laundry expert can help you SAVE valuable time and money in your laundry and IMPROVE compliance with CQC.

So, over the past few weeks we have been talking about ways to help you to improve standards and outcomes in your laundry, and offering you the opportunity to have the benefit of our FREE and unique laundry survey.

Several interested customers have come back to ask for an over view of what our laundry audit entails and what they can expect to receive and gain at the end of it, so we thought we would share that with you all just for clarification:

Hcsuk’s unique, FREE and innovative Laundry Audit for care homes:

Our laundry audit is carried out by Ken Moss, who is a technical laundry expert, having  over 20 years experience of working in care sector laundries and who  is also involved with new laundry  product development. Believe me, what Ken doesn’t know about care home laundries isn’t worth knowing!

Ken follows a step by step process during the audit which looks like this:

  1. Checks of makes and models of laundry machines in use to check compatibility with auto-dosing equipment.
  2. An audit of existing laundry chemicals in use including looking at ingredients, levels of concentration, do they contain any broad spectrum anti-bacterial properties.Could they be causing any damage to fabrics?
  3. Checks on the actual dosing of the existing chemicals – are they being dosed correctly and what are the volumes being dosed by programme? (Ken will actually physically measure each product being dosed by wash cycle).
  4. Check with laundry staff which wash cycles they are currently using and look at where potentially lower temperature washes could be incorporated to reduce utility costs without compromising on wash results.
  5. Discuss with laundry staff what issues they are currently experiencing with existing systems, ie challenges with staining, lingering odours in clothing and bedding and rewashing.
  6. Conduct  test washes so key  staff can assess wash results with our laundry chemicals versus what they are currently able to achieve. If staff can provide us with real examples of stained clothing or bedding for us to tackle that is always helpful!
  7. We like to provide you with a breakdown of what each of your different wash cycles is currently costing you ‘per wash’. In order to do this accurately we ask that you provide us with costings on your current chemicals by container. We can work out the rest for you.
  8. We can then provide you with a direct cost per wash comparison by wash cycle using our chemicals and what the added benefits are, eg improved wash results, less staining, less rewashing, improved  fragrance retention in clothes and bedding etc. We will also highlight any recommendations of tweaks in processes to help improve results.

I asked Ken if he could give me an average duration of a survey, just to give you an idea, and he simply said;

‘It  takes as long as it takes to get the job done right’ which I loved! Your homes will have the benefit of Ken’s expertise for several hours. However, I will stress that he doesn’t disrupt the normal workings of the laundry, its business as usual and Ken will work round your staff.

I hope that you agree with me that this is a very comprehensive audit which we are offering and one which is unique in its depth and attention to detail.

We like to be different and genuinely want to work with you to help you achieve improved standards by providing expert advice, recommendations and fit for purpose product solutions which help you to get the job done right first time.

Also, it is very helpful in order to get the best outcomes, if you can identify  key laundry staff and that they are available when Ken visits so that we get the best understanding of their challenges and can give them the best advice.

I hope that this gives you all of the information you need about out laundry audit, however if you do have any further questions, or to arrange a laundry survey for your home,  then please don’t hesitate to contact us, either by email, sales@hcsuk.co.uk  or by phone on 01773 713713

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on our audit and how you feel it could assist you in improving results and standards within your home.


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Customer Testimonials

“We’ve built a strong working relationship with Hcsuk over many years, having used them to source, install and service our medical training equipment. We have always found the team very professional, helpful, and well-organised. We’d like to give a particular shout out to Phil, the technician / engineer who has been the consistent friendly face visiting our business to inspect and test our mobility hoists every 6 months. Thank you for all your support and advice.”

P. B. (Care Manager), Blue Bird Care Ltd

You are part of a great company, if we can help you grow by contracting you out to our sites its good for you, but it’s great for us because your service is fantastic, very efficient, everyone within Hcsuk is super helpful in answering queries and every time we’ve had an issue, Hcsuk has always been there to solve the problem almost immediately, which is fantastic.

Leicestershire County Council

Truly exceptional levels of customer service, the best I have experienced for many years. Very helpful staff made follow up calls to ask how the equipment was performing and supplied extra user instructions to supplement the manufacturers manual. I would not hesitate to order from this company again.

Savills Estate Agents

We would just like to pass on our thanks for all of your help with our orders and would be pleased if you would also pass on our thanks to the manufacturers for being so accommodating in meeting our requirements. We have found everyone very helpful.

Lincs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Since I set up the account for Hcsuk over 18 months ago I have found them to be an excellent advocate of our products. They have been willing to learn about the technical and servicing elements to our hoists and the sales staff have really taken on board and proactively promoted our range where possible. I feel that as a company Hcsuk have got the desire and right people in place for growing in this competitive industry. They seem to push themselves to go that little bit further and offer that little bit more to stand out from the rest. May our relationship continue going from strength to strength.

Joerns Healthcare

As a care home manager I have used Hcsuk for my supplies for the last 20 years in two homes. I have always found them to be helpful and reliable. Their products are of the highest standards, they are able to source anything. The delivery service is prompt and regular so I do not have to keep large amounts of stock. They supply extra services such as servicing and repairs which are done efficiently, and training in COSHH. The reps are pleasant and helpful bringing new products to my attention but are never ”pushy”. Aftercare is good, any problems soon sorted. I would recommend them highly and would not think of using anyone else.

Littleover Nursing Home

HPC have supplied Hcsuk (Health Care Services Ltd) for well over a decade now and we would consider them to be a high quality and professional business run in an organised and progressive manor. We do not rank our customers or have a preferred customer status but if we were to introduce such a scheme I can confirm that Hcsuk would easily make such a grade.

HPC Healthline

As a manufacturer we look for key values in a distributor some of these include honesty, reliability, commitment and reputation. Hcsuk carry all of these and many more. With a twenty plus year working relationship we now place Jo and the team at the top of our distributor list. I have no hesitation in recommending Hcsuk to any prospective manufacturer or customer and wish Jo and the team all the best for the future.

Cleenol Group Ltd

It is brilliant that we are able to ring Health Care Services and that you will go the extra mile to get us the stock we need as soon as possible.

Rykneld View Nursing Home

Just to say a huge thankyou to you and your fantastic team, and I mean that from the Heart. I have never before experienced such a person centred company.

Hampton Grange Nursing Home

What I like about working with Health Care Services is the relationship we have built up and the personal service. The homes report that you always deliver on time, the quality is consistently good and the prices competitive. Your team members are always willing to go that extra mile for us and if ever we have an issue there is always someone there to save the day.

Eastgate Care

Thanks to Jo for going over and above to get us our items in time for our special event at Buddleia House – it was very much appreciated. A massive thankyou for your continued assistance as a supplier to ourselves.

Buddleia House

We have always received excellent services from everyone at HCS at our 2 care homes, especially Lee, Jo and Phil. Always professional with a quick response time. Nothing ever seems too much trouble. Recently I had to use them personally for equipment to enable my mothers discharge from hospital. I had a response within the hour for prices and delivery came straight from the manufacturer to speed up delivery. Phil arrived at the same time to put the equipment together for us! I can’t thank them enough for putting our minds at ease and for the continued support from a personal and professional perspective. I’d recommend them to anyone requiring care equipment and its nice to support local businesses. Especially when they do such a good job!!

Orla House

I contacted HCSUK trying to find a hoist that could be operated unaided by the client. I had become very disheartened, no-one was really helpful until I spoke to Donna at HCSUK.

Donna was incredibly understanding, her professionalism raised my spirits again. Everything Donna said she would do she did, including arranging for me to speak to Andrew the salesman who like Donna was incredibly helpful, happy to bring two machines to demonstrate.

I can’t recommend them highly enough. They are good people.

Penelope Corbin

VAT Relief Information

Conditions for VAT relief for disabled people

Some of the products which can be purchased from the Hcsuk website are available for an eligible person to purchase without paying VAT on them. HM Revenue and Customs sets out the conditions when equipment for disabled people might be free of VAT and how to claim exemption from paying VAT on these products.

Products a can only be exempt from VAT when all the following conditions are met:

  1. The customer is eligible to purchase supplies at the zero rate
  2. The goods are for the personal or domestic use of the customer
  3. The goods and services are eligible to be supplied at the zero rate

A more detailed explanation of each of these conditions is given below, but you should visit the HM Revenue and Customs Website to fully understand the conditions

The product must be being purchased for someone who is chronically ill or disabled.

A person is ‘chronically sick or disabled’ if he/she is a person:

It does not include a frail elderly person who is otherwise able-bodied or any person who is only temporarily disabled or incapacitated, such as with a broken limb.

‘personal or domestic’ use means that the supply must be made available specifically for the use of an eligible individual.

You don’t have to physically buy the goods in person. If your parent, guardian or wife or husband buys the goods and services for you, then you won’t be charged VAT.

What counts as personal or domestic use?

Personal or domestic use means that the goods or services are supplied for your own private use, rather than for business purposes. Also, the goods or services must be just for your own use – not for use by anyone else, or chronically sick or disabled people in general. However, if you and your partner are both chronically sick or disabled and you buy goods or services for both of you to use, then you won’t have to pay VAT.

Products which are offered for sale on this website which qualify for VAT relief to be claimed for an eligible person.

The products which can be bought without paying VAT are:

Only the products on our site carrying the VAT exemption price (the smaller price marked ex VAT) are eligible to be purchased this way and you must tick the box on the basket page indicating that you wish to claim VAT exemption on the items in your basket that are eligible for VAT relief.

How to claim

On the my basket page of this website a link to the online declaration form is provided if the basket contains a product that qualifies for VAT relief. You must tick the box to state you wish to claim VAT relief on the eligible product and complete in full the reason by which you are ‘chronically sick or disabled’ and name and address of the claimant. If possible the person making the claim should complete this form, but a family member, carer or medical professional may complete the form on the claimants behalf. To submit the claim and receive the VAT relief, click the ‘Submit VAT Relief Claim’ button before proceeding to the checkout.

Please note that all orders submitted with a VAT relief claim form completed are checked before the order is processed.

It is necessary to complete a separate claim form each time a qualifying product is purchased from Hcsuk.

 

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