THE Downshire Hospital’s laundry service will close at the end of the month.
The closure, which has been blamed on the reduction of inpatients using the service, will lead to the redeployment of two workers.
The South Eastern Trust has confirmed the imminent closure due to its unviability. However, union officials believe the service could have been maintained if some of the Trust’s wider workload had been diverted to the Downshire service.
“The Trust could have ensured work was retained by siphoning off some of the work that comes from other places,” a spokeswoman for UNISON said.
“This service has been available locally for many years.”
However a Trust official said volumes of inpatients requiring a laundry service has been reducing for some time.
“It is no longer a viable option to sustain provision of a laundry service that meets the minimum statutory standards due to ageing equipment that needs replaced.
“There is a small number of staff affected and they will be redeployed.
“The Trust has been working with trade unions regarding the planned closure.”