A scandal has erupted in Madrid’s public hospitals over a shortage of basic necessities: blankets, pillows, and bed sheets. Patients are forced to keep warm with their own jackets, while medical staff face constant complaints and are unable to provide comfortable conditions for patients. To the shortage are added other problems: there aren’t enough towels, pajamas, or even uniforms for staff. All of this has been linked to the performance of an external laundry service that has been serving most of the region’s medical facilities for over a decade.
Staff and patients report that linens often arrive dirty, damp, or even torn. Sometimes clean laundry gets mixed up with soiled items from other hospitals, and some items simply go missing. The situation worsens during times when hospitals are under extra strain, for example, during flu outbreaks. Medical workers and union representatives are certain: this problem has persisted for years and is directly related to outsourcing laundry services to private companies.
Linen shortages
In six major Madrid hospitals — 12 de Octubre, Cruz Roja, La Princesa, La Paz-Carlos III, Gregorio Marañón, and Infanta Sofía — the linen situation remains critical. The company ILUNION is responsible for laundry in most of these hospitals, while Vivva serves Infanta Sofía. However, both patients and doctors at all these sites face the same difficulties.
Complaints about service quality are received regularly. In one of the audits, it was found that nearly a fifth of the laundry was returned to hospitals dirty. There were cases where dozens of types of bacteria were found on doctors’ gowns, and some items became unusable after washing. Despite this, the contract with ILUNION was extended for another three years in 2023.
Patients’ stories
Patients report that they sometimes have to spend the night without blankets or pillows. One woman, admitted to Infanta Sofía after a heart attack, recalls spending the night covered only with her jacket because there was no other option. The next day, she managed to get the last remaining blankets and pillows, but after being transferred to another hospital, she again faced a shortage of basic necessities. After medical procedures, she was given a new gown, but there were no clean blankets left so she was forced to use a dirty one.
Medical staff confirm that even the minimum set of linens is often lacking in wards. In some cases, there are just 7 to 10 blankets for 40 patients. Sometimes hospitals have to borrow sheets from others. Clean linens are sometimes used to wipe patients when towels are unavailable. Beds are not always made with fresh sheets—either there aren’t any, or what is delivered is unusable.
Authorities’ response
Regional authorities claim that all linen deliveries are strictly controlled and that most quality assessments are positive. However, doctors and patients disagree. In some hospitals, such as La Princesa, if a new patient is admitted at night, they may not get clean sheets due to shortages. Blankets and pillows have become a real luxury, forcing patients to shiver by the windows.
Problems also arise with pajamas: it’s not always possible to provide each patient with clean clothing. Sometimes sheets arrive with blood stains or hair. Nurses complain that the push for ‘humanizing’ medicine does not align with the lack of basic necessities for patient care.
Contracts and supplies
Under the contract, the company ILUNION is required to provide hospitals with reports detailing the quantity and weight of each type of linen. However, staff say they often receive less linen than is sent out, and sometimes it arrives wet to increase the weight. In one hospital, clean linen was recently found mixed with dirty laundry from another facility, and had to be sent back.
Patients and their families are increasingly voicing their complaints about the situation on social media. After long waits in the emergency room, people ask for at least a pillow, but even that has become difficult to provide. Medical staff are forced to get creative to help patients in any way they can, but admit that without systemic changes, the problem can’t be solved.
