Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSGovernment behind on single-sex accommodation target
Two-thirds of NHS hospital trusts are not providing single-sex accommodation, figures reveal.
The data, obtained by the Conservative Party under the Freedom of Information Act, shows that one in seven trusts placed patients in mixed sex accommodation, separated only by curtains or screens.
Of the 120 trusts to reply, 64% said patients in bays had to walk past areas occupied by the opposite sex to get to bathrooms.
The Department of Health believe 90% of patients receive care in single-sex accommodation, which it states should be partitioned by full-height fixtures attached to a building's walls.
Patients should not be expected to walk past members of the opposite sex to use washing facilities.
Last month, Health secretary Alan Johnson told delegates at RCN Congress that the government was on track to phase out mixed sex accommodation within the next 12 months.
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Readers' comments (1)
James Gallantry | 21-May-2008 10:39 pm
Roll on the day when the norm for in patient accommodation will be 100% single bedrooms with ensuite facilities. The current standard is not less than 50% and all multi bed bays to include and ensuite. This is already changing in the correct direction.
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