Preparing for your stay in hospital During your stay in hospital Meals while in hospital Preparing to leave hospital Services for you and your visitors Same sex accommodation - Statement of Compliance Rearrange or cancel a planned stay in hospital

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is pleased to confirm that it is 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 and high dependency areas), or when patients actively choose to share (for instance the dialysis and chemotherapy 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 at our Patient Experience Committee and on our website.

 

Every patient has the right to receive high quality care that is safe, effective and respects their privacy and dignity. 

 

Cambridge University Hospitals 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.

 

What does this mean for patients?

Other than in exceptional circumstances (for example intensive care and high dependency areas or the dialysis and chemotherapy unit) patients admitted to Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust can expect to find the following same sex accommodation standards:

• 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 male and female 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 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 (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 remember 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?

Our action plan details the improvements we will be making to maintain and enhance the privacy and dignity of patients in our outpatient, day case and day treatment facilities. The action plan includes undertaking a further self-assessment of all outpatient, day case and day treatment areas to identify areas for improvement.

 

How will we measure success?

We are working hard to ensure you have the best possible experience at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We therefore regularly monitor our standards regarding privacy and dignity in a number of ways. These include:

• Monthly reviews of incident reports, complaints and patient concerns related to the provision of privacy and dignity and same sex accommodation
• Weekly inpatient experience survey results relating to privacy and dignity and same sex accommodation
• Results from the quarterly reports from the post-discharge patient experience surveys
• Monthly updates on same sex accommodation to the Trust’s Board of Directors and Commissioners
• Yearly Patient Environment Action Team (PEAT) visits
• Regular patient privacy and dignity focus groups
  

 

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

A leaflet entitled ‘Your privacy… our responsibility’ outlines our commitment to treating all patients with privacy and dignity in a safe clean and environment, and is available on all wards. If you are unhappy about any aspect of care you can speak to the ward sister or nurse in charge. We are here to help, listen and respond.

 

If you feel that your concerns have not been resolved by ward staff then please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) who will advise and help you.

 

Contact PALS:

Tel: 01223 216756

pals@addenbrookes.nhs.uk

 

 

Dr Karen Castille Chief Nurse and Operating Officer Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Mandy Renton Director of Nursing for Clinical Re-Design and Service Improvements NHS Cambridgeshire

 

 

 

Back to top