Same-sex accommodation

Declaration of compliance

Nottinghamshire Healthcare 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 (for example where patients need specialist equipment, or when patients actively choose to share (for instance, within a social re-enablement residential facility).

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 as part of our annual performance report.

Janet Sheard, Executive Director of Nursing and Allied Health Professions

March 31 2012

Telephone: 0115 969 1300

About same-sex accommodation

Being in mixed-sex hospital accommodation can be difficult for some patients for a variety of personal and cultural reasons.  The NHS is working to ensure that same-sex accommodation is provided for all patients.

Same-sex accommodation can be provided in:

• Same-sex wards ie the whole ward is occupied by men or women but not both
• Single rooms with adjacent same-sex toilets and washing facilities preferably en-suite
• Same-sex accommodation within mixed wards ie bays or rooms which accommodate either men or women, not both, with designated same-sex toilet and washing facilities preferably within or adjacent to the bay or room

Patients should not need to pass through opposite sex accommodation or toilet and washing facilities to access their own.

Same-sex accommodation in Nottinghamshire Healthcare

Privacy and dignity is a priority for Nottinghamshire Healthcare.  The Trust is fully compliant with the requirements of same-sex accommodation.