Patient Privacy and
same-sex accommodation
What is same-sex accommodation?
For hospital accommodation to be deemed ‘same-sex’, it must provide sleeping areas and toilet and washing facilities that are for men or women only. This means patients could be:
- in a same-sex ward, where the whole ward is either men or women only
- in a single room, or
- in a mixed ward, where men and women are in separate bays or rooms
- toilet and washing facilities are for either men or women
Sometimes, the need for fast, effective treatment is greater than the need to provide same-sex accommodation. If a patient needs urgent, highly specialised care, such as in acute intensive care, then clinical need takes priority over same-sex accommodation. However, staff will move the patient into same sex accommodation as quickly as possible.
What improvements have we made?
In order to continue to protect our patients’ privacy and dignity, we have completed a number of pieces of work, which include:
- upgrading bathroom and toilet facilities on our F Wards, including a complete upgrade of one ward which provides more bathroom & en-suite facilities
- a revised Privacy & Dignity Policy
- new discharge lounge facilities
We have also:
- began undertaking monthly patient perception surveys
- commenced a review of our patient clothing & gowns
- began further upgrades of F Block wards
If you have concerns about privacy or dignity at UHSM, please discuss these with the matron on your ward (department) or contact the Patient Experience Team on 0161 291 5600 or via: pls@uhsm.nhs.uk. For more information on the same-sex accommodation programme please see: www.nhs.uk/samesexaccommodation