Every patient has the
right to receive high quality care that is safe, effective and
respects their privacy and dignity. University Hospitals Bristol
NHS Foundation 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.
Declaration of compliance for 2014/2015
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is able to
confirm compliance with the Government's requirement to eliminate
mixed-sex accommodation, except when it is in the patient's overall
best interest.
Our aim is to 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 and high dependency
areas), or when patients actively choose to share (for instance
childrens wards). If our care should fall short of the required
standard, we will report it through the Trust Board report.
Further information on our work to deliver same sex
accommodation
Patients admitted to University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
in future can expect to find the following:
- 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.
In all future developments a high standard of privacy and
dignity, including same sex accommodation is included as a
standard. The Trust will constantly monitor how well we are
delivering care in same sex accommodation and will continue to make
ongoing improvements.