Elis is an established supplier of reusable surgical gowns. It has more than 30 years’ experience serving over 300 NHS and private sector hospitals, and is the only UK business operating totally dedicated sterile processing units for reusable surgical textiles.
The company’s business model is based on the circular economy, prioritising rental over purchase and service over products. When it comes to surgical gowns, this offers a number of benefits over the linear nature of single-use, disposable counterparts.
Better value
On average, reusable gowns are 45% cheaper than single-use alternatives, with VAT reclaimable on reusable products[1] and no clinical waste disposal charges to pay. Stock is purchased, owned and maintained by Elis, and the gowns can be processed up to 75 times without compromising protection levels. As a result, there is no need for customers to continually invest in new stock or purchase single-use gowns.
More efficient stock control
Unlike single-use products, which are pre-ordered according to requirements, reusable gown rental services provide the added benefit of flexibility. This gives customers the ability to easily adjust product volumes, sizes and delivery frequencies depending on their needs, and means less storage space is required on site.
Continuity of supply
Using an approved reusable gown service provider also provides reassurance of continuity of supply at all times, with Elis having contingency planning in place to ensure that product demand can be met, even in exceptional circumstances.
Enhanced sustainability
Reusable surgical gowns offer significant sustainability benefits, which is reinforced by work to repair, refurbish or recycle products at the end of their lifecycle. Figures from the first ever independent UK-based Life Cycle Analysis into the environmental impact of reusable vs disposable gowns[2] show they can deliver the following savings:
- Carbon footprint – up to 69% less
- Energy consumption – up to 66% less
- Waste generated – up to 84% less
- Water usage – up to 61% less
If your hospital is still using disposable surgical textiles, isn’t it time to switch to a more sustainable alternative? For more information, contact Elis on 0800 612 7237 or email uk-surgical.marketing@elis.com
References
[1] https://networks.sustainablehealthcare.org.uk/resources/hot-guide-reusable-surgical-and-isolation-gowns.
[2] https://mcusercontent.com/aa2ab73f5abeaf7fa577a1399/files/a24a011d-da03-2b21-cb52-634c328e3eed/Life_Cycle_Assessment_of_Elis_Reusable_Gowns_Executive_Summary.pdf
