Eliminating mixed- sex accommodation
Declaration of Compliance April 2012
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust is pleased to confirm that we are compliant with the Government's requirement to eliminate mixed-sex accommodation, except when it is in the patient's overall best interest, or reflects their personal choice. We have the necessary facilities, resources and culture to ensure that patients who are admitted to our hospitals will only share the room where they sleep with members of the same sex, and same-sex toilets and bathrooms will be close to their bed area. Sharing with members of the opposite sex will only happen when clinically necessary except where it is in the overall best interest of the patient, or reflects their personal choice.
Every patient has the right to receive high quality care that is safe, effective and respects their privacy and dignity. The Leicestershire Partnership 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.
What does this mean for patients?
Patients admitted to Leicestershire Partnership Trust can expect to find the following
Same sex-accommodation means:
- The room where your bed is will only have patients of the same sex as you
Your toilet and bathroom will be just for your gender, and will be close to your bed area
- It is possible that there will be both men and women patients on the ward, but they will not share your sleeping area. You may have to cross a ward corridor to reach your bathroom, but you will not have to walk through opposite-sex areas.
- You may share some communal space, such as day rooms or dining rooms, and it is very likely that you will see both men and women patients as you move around the hospital (e.g. on your way to other departments).
Your privacy and dignity will be maintained at all times.
It is probable that visitors of the opposite gender will come into patient areas and this may include patients visiting each other.
It is almost certain that both male and female nurses, doctors and other staff will come into your bed area.
If you need help to use the toilet or take a bath (e.g. you need a hoist or special bath) then you may be taken to a "unisex" bathroom used by both men and women, but a member of staff will be with you, and other patients will not be in the bathroom at the same time.
The NHS will not turn patients away just because a "right-sex" bed is not immediately available
What are our plans for the future?
We will continue to:-
- Implement the plan for refurbishment of our estate.
- Monitor ourselves against the national and local standards for the delivery of same sex accommodation
- Report any breaches to these standards and undertake a full investigation into why this has happened
- Publish any development plans on the trust Internet site.
How will we measure success?
We will continue to monitor our progress against information that is made available following CQC inpatient survey, local surveys, patient engagement, along with a self-assessment carried out for each ward every 6 months.
Progress will be monitored internally by the Trust Board and externally by our commissioners; the commissioners will receive a quarterly update against the plan.
What do I do if I think I am in mixed sex accommodation?
We want to know about your experiences. Please contact Customer Services 0116 295 0830