Great performance for mixed-sex accommodation

Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust continues to treat patients with privacy and dignity, having not breached the rules of mixed-sex accommodation for at least 10 months, according to latest Department of Health figures published yesterday.

Since December 2010, a record number of hospitals have reported zero cases, with Heatherwood and Wexham Park not recording a single breach in either of our hospitals. And in the South Central region, more patients than ever before are staying in same-sex accommodation which means that a patient always has access to sleeping areas and toilet and washing facilities which are designated as either men-only or women-only.

Deirdre Thompson, director of nursing at the Trust, said: “This is such a fantastic achievement. Not only will our staff be encouraged by these figures which reflect their vigilance and dedication to providing care in the most comfortable environment, but also our patients who can be assured that they will receive a high level of privacy and dignity whilst under our care.

“Of course we are not complacent and will monitor our data and continue to listen to feedback from our patients to ensure that we maintain these excellent results and set the highest standards”.

Local figures show that since December 2010, when monthly collection of mixed-sex accommodation was first introduced, the number of reported breaches in acute hospitals in South Central has fallen by 96 per cent.

On a national level, mixed-sex accommodation in the NHS has fallen by over 90 per cent in under a year, with the latest statistics showing that unjustified breaches of rules on mixed sex accommodation have fallen from nearly 12,000 to just over 1,000 in just ten months.