THE chief executive of East Lancashire's hospitals was put through the wringer as part of a 'Back to the Floor' initiative.

Kevin McGee, who earns £170,000-a-year, rolled up his sleeves for a morning's work in the laundry at the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust was criticised last year over the divide between executives and front line staff, so bosses have since been making efforts to bridge this gap.

Mr McGee was guided by laundry manager Lynn Fort, who talked him through what the department does on a daily basis and set him to sorting dried items ready for ironing and packing to go back to the wards.

The laundry at Blackburn also cleans items from the trust's other hospitals, in Burnley, Accrington, Pendle and Clitheroe.

In an average week, about 10,000 items are laundered, including some 29,000 sheets, 11,000 towels and 22,000 mops and cleaning cloths from, with soiled linen arriving in the laundry throughout the day

Laundry workers start work at 7am when the main washers are put through a thermal disinfection process, filled, ironing machines made ready for use and the first loads are put into the dryers.

Mr McGee said: “I really enjoyed working in the laundry and meeting all the members of staff who do a fantastic job – it certainly opened my eyes to how they work well as a team and are enthusiastic about their jobs.

"I think going ‘back to the floor’ is important for myself and the other senior managers to get out and about and get a clear picture of what staff do across all areas of the organisation so a big thanks to all the team who looked after me. I was immensely impressed with their dedication and hard work.”