Privacy and dignity - eliminating mixed sex accommodation
You have the right to receive high quality care that is safe, effective and respects your privacy and dignity. We will do everything we can to make sure you have the best possible experience whilst you receive treatment and we know that providing same sex accommodation will help to safeguard your privacy and dignity whilst you are with us.
For us to say that we provide same sex accommodation we must offer sleeping areas and toilet and washing areas that are for men and women only, and these must be clearly labelled.
Same sex accommodation can be provided in:
- same sex wards which are all male or all female;
- single rooms with access to gender specific toilet and washing facilities; or
- mixed wards where men and women are in separate bays or rooms but have access to gender specific toilet and washing facilities.
People tell us that being in same sex accommodation makes a big difference to how comfortable and relaxed they feel. Sharing accommodation with people of the opposite sex can compromise their privacy and dignity at a time when they are already feeling vulnerable. Some patients find it embarrassing to share mixed sex accommodation and there may also be religious or cultural reasons for not wishing to do so.
We are working hard to upgrade the facilities at our inpatient units and have taken a number of steps to ensure that the safety and dignity of patients is preserved. We have already designated a number of wards as single sex. This means that we are now admitting men only or women only to particular wards.
Our staff are also receiving additional training about same sex accommodation and the importance of preserving the privacy and dignity of patients.
We have a Delivery Plan in place which sets out what we need to do, how we’re going to do it and when. In the meantime we are doing everything we can to minimise the use of mixed-sex accommodation whilst changes are being made.
Privacy and dignity: eliminating mixed sex accommodation leaflet
Modern slavery
Sussex Partnership Statement on modern slavery: April 2021- April 2022
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is committed to working towards eradicating modern slavery and human trafficking. We will actively ensure this by an ongoing review of all of our strategies and business arrangements.
Modern slavery is the recruitment, movement, harbouring or receiving of children, women or men through the use of force, coercion, abuse of vulnerability, deception or other means for the purpose of exploitation. Individuals may be trafficked into, out of or within the UK, and they may be trafficked for a number of reasons including sexual exploitation, forced labour, domestic servitude and organ harvesting.
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 introduced changes in UK law and focused on increasing transparency in supply chains, to ensure they are free from modern slavery (that is, slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking). SPFT is committed to working with local partners to improve our practice in combatting slavery and human trafficking and to raise awareness, disrupt and respond to Modern Slavery.
Arrangements to prevent slavery and human trafficking
Sussex Partnership is committed to ensuring there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or any part of our business activity. As an organisation, our commitment to social and environmental responsibility is covered by our approach to modern slavery and human trafficking, which is part of our safeguarding strategy and arrangements.
Our arrangements include the following:
Safeguarding
Our ‘Safeguarding Policy and Procedures for Children, Young People and Adults and Older Adults’ and our ‘Prevent’ Policies show our commitment to the eradication of modern slavery.
Workforce
We confirm the identities of all new employees and their right to work in the United Kingdom. Our Respect at Work, Grievance and Voicing your Concerns for Staff policies additionally give a platform for our employees to raise concerns about poor working practice. Policies on recruitment, and raising concerns via the Freedom To Speak Up process also support good practice and protect workforce rights further.
Training and promotion
Our enhanced online safeguarding training courses include role relevant modern slavery awareness. The Trust promotes awareness of modern slavery e-learning via the relevant on-line platform and SPFT’s intranet pages for staff provides further support and resources on modern slavery and human trafficking.
Suppliers/tenders
The Trust complies with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and uses the mandatory Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Pre-Qualification Questionnaire on procurements, which exceed the prescribed threshold. Bidders are required to confirm their compliance with the Modern Slavery Act.
Sub-contracts
Our procurement and contracting team is qualified and experienced in managing healthcare contracts, which includes. Using our routine contract management meetings with our providers, to address any issues around modern slavery.
This above statement on Modern Slavery, is made pursuant to section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and therefore constitutes our slavery and human trafficking statement for 2019/20.
If you suspect someone could be a victim of modern slavery, contact Sussex Police on 999, 101 or through the Sussex Police website.
Alternatively, you can call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700, Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or the Salvation Army confidential hotline on 0800 808 3733. All are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
