Eradicating mixed-sex accommodation

We are proud to confirm that mixed-sex accommodation has been virtually eliminated in all our hospitals.

Every patient has the right to receive high quality care that is safe, effective and respects their privacy and dignity. Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is committed to providing every patient with same-sex accommodation, because it helps to safeguard their privacy and dignity when they are often at their most vulnerable.

We are proud to confirm that mixed-sex accommodation has been virtually eliminated in our Trust. Patients are placed in segregated sleeping areas and have easy access to same-sex toilets and bathrooms. Patients will only be places in a mixed-sex sleeping area when it can be clinically justified (for example where patients need specialist equipment such as in ITU or HDU), or when patients choose to share.

What does this mean for patients?
Same-sex accommodation is where specific sleeping areas and toilet and washing facilities are designated as either men-only or women-only. This applies to:

- same-sex wards where the whole ward is occupied by men or women only
- single rooms
- mixed-wards, where men and women are in separate bays or rooms.

Toilet and washing facilities should be easily accessible and, ideally, either inside or next to the ward, bay or room. Patients should not need to go through sleeping areas or toilet and washing facilities used by the opposite sex to access their own.

We believe that providing same-sex accommodation is an effective way of giving all patients the best possible experience while they are in our hospitals. For Buckinghamshire Healthcare, the provision of same-sex accommodation directly relates to our patient promises, which include our patients having access to comfortable modern facilities and a helpful and respectful attitude from our staff. This involves respecting our patients’ privacy and dignity while they are under our care. The needs of our patient always come first and we recognise this as key to being able to deliver on our promises.

What are our plans for the future?
We have included the eradication of mixed-sex accommodation in our strategic objectives for this year as we recognise this as central to a good patient experience. The chief nurse and nursing team are responsible for ensuring we continue to provide same-sex accommodation for patients. We are planning minor improvements within our ITU/HDUs and National Spinal Injuries Centre to improve our compliance, and within our integrated business plan we plan to have the significant reconfigurations in place by the end of year three of the plan. These significant works are better utilising our more modern accommodation at Wycombe Hospital and the extension and improvement of NSIC.

How will we measure success?
Through comments from the inpatient survey and direct feedback from our patient experience trackers, we will monitor the number of breeches of same-sex accommodation within the Trust and ensure that these fall below the expected rate. Feedback to matrons on their ward rounds will also be recorded and success will be measured through regular board reports.

What do I do if I think I am in mixed-sex accommodation?
Sometimes fast, effective treatment is more important than the provision of same-sex accommodation. This might happen if you need urgent, highly specialised or hi-tech care. In these situations, our staff will keep you informed and move you into same-sex accommodation as quickly as possible. However, if you have any concerns about your stay in hospital, please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) at pals@buckshosp.nhs.uk, or call 01296 316042 at Stoke Mandeville and 01494 425882 at Wycombe and Amersham.