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
