Linen services staff make sure that clinical departments throughout the NHS have stocks of clean linen, such as sheets and towels.
Their job role is an important part of healthcare as soiled linen that has not been cleaned correctly can spread infection.
The role of a linen assistant can be physically demanding. There are various roles within linen services, these include Linen Services Assistant, Linen Services Supervisors and Line Services Managers.
Linen services staff need to be:
You'll also need:
There are a variety of tasks that need to be completed in the linen department and dependent on the job role itself and area working, daily tasks may vary.
As a linen services assistant, you may:
Some linen services staff also use a sewing machine or marking machine to:
In some hospitals, where there is a laundry on site, linen services staff:
As a linen services supervisor or team leader, you will oversee the work of a team of linen services assistants.
As a linen services manager, you make sure that laundry services meet quality standards. You'll have other management tasks such as:
Linen services assistants based in hospitals may work in a dedicated linen facility, some may have contact with patients, others working in off-site laundries have little or no contact with patients.
In the NHS, a linen services assistant is paid a band 2; please see our Pay and Benefits section for more information
When you start work as a linen services assistant you will receive the training you need. This includes an introduction to the department and its systems and equipment as well as health and safety and manual handling.
Employers will expect employees to obtain qualifications if they wish to progress further. With qualifications and experience, a linen services assistant could become a team leader, supervising a team of assistants. With further experience and training, they could progress to become a manager, responsible for a department or area.
You may be offered the opportunity to take qualifications in, for example, laundry services.
There are no set entry requirements for linen services assistants. Employers expect a good standard of numeracy and literacy. They may ask for GCSEs in English and maths. Employers may also ask for relevant qualifications such as an NVQ in hotel services or health care.
Employers may ask for some experience of linen or laundry work or healthcare which could be from paid or voluntary work, some may require skills such as a sewing machinist.
To find out about work experience and volunteering opportunities in NHS Wales visit our Work section.
All vacancies for NHS Wales are advertised on NHS Jobs Visit our Work section for more information.