Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation 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 (for example where patients need specialist equipment such as in Intensive Care, High Dependency Care Units and the Coronary Care Unit. or when patients actively choose to share for instance the renal dialysis unit and chemotherapy day case unit.

If our care should fall short of the required standard, we will report it. We will also set up an audit mechanism to make sure that we do not misclassify any of our reports. We will publish the results of that audit on the website and in the quality accounts for 2011-12.

There are some mixed areas where patients attend regularly and choose to share (for instance in the renal dialysis unit, and chemotherapy day case unit).

What does this mean for patients?

Other than in the circumstances set out above, patients admitted to Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation 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 (eg on your way to X-ray or the operating theatre).

It is probable that visitors of the opposite gender will come into the room where your bed is, 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 (eg 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?

To make further improvements to the quality of our accommodation as part of our programme of ward refurbishments. In February 2010 we launched our Policy: Dignity and Respect: Being Valued: we will continue to ensure that there is an ongoing focus on ensuring that the privacy and dignity of our patients is treated as a top priority by all our staff.

How will we measure success?

We will continue to monitor patients’ views through the annual patient survey and through local surveys, and audits of the dignity policy.

What do I do if I think I am in mixed sex accommodation?

We want to know about your experiences.  Please speak to the nurse in charge of the ward, or contact the PALS office if you have any comments or concerns.