1. What is the policy regarding the changing of a hospital privacy curtain in each NHS Hospital? How often are they changed on average per year? Is there any variation based on high or low risk areas/departments? For example: “Curtains are changed every 3, 4 or 6 months, or if visibly soiled or after a terminal clean, A&E curtains are changed more frequently at every two months. “
2. Is the policy referenced in Q1 applied to all curtain types; Linen, disposable, disposable antimicrobial. Please specify any variation of policy based on curtain type.
3. What type (Linen, disposable, disposable antimicrobial) of privacy curtain is used, who is the producer/manufacturer? If multiple curtain products are present please list these.
4. Does an external company provide curtain services to the trust (supply of curtains, curtains changing, fitting, laundering)? If so, please state the company name, services provided, and curtain contract end/review date.
5. What is the annual cost to each hospital for linen and laundry services for the privacy curtains? If disposable curtains are used, what is total annual spend for these, for approximately how many curtains?
6. How many privacy curtains are in use in each hospital within the trust? Please state compared to the number of beds for each hospital.
7. What proportion of curtain spend per year is through the NHS supply chain? Please state values in GBP.
