Page 2 | Toilets in a hospital waiting room

MemorableTrenchcoat · 19/08/2025 10:07

babasaclover · 19/08/2025 09:52

Can yourself lucky that there is some separation the ones in our local hospital are all unisex so there is always piss on the sea and disgusting stains from the men

There's often piss on the seat in the (exclusively) ladies' loos. There's a lot of hovering going on, I suspect.

GCAcademic · 19/08/2025 10:07

I used a similar set-up in a museum. Those toilets were in a far-flung corner of the building and when I arrived there there was one other person there - a man, using the wash basin. It felt very unsafe.

Gettingbysomehow · 19/08/2025 10:07

In my clinic the one toilet is for men, women, staff and patients. 9/10 times when I go in there cleaners have to be called as there is urine and faeces everywhere. Im so sick of it.

HedgeWitchOfTheWest · 19/08/2025 10:07

babasaclover · 19/08/2025 09:52

Can yourself lucky that there is some separation the ones in our local hospital are all unisex so there is always piss on the sea and disgusting stains from the men

Same at my child’s school -open plan wash area with individual toilet cubicles, but no suggestion of segregation so all toilets end up with piss on the seats and floor.

I’m hoping some firm guidance will appear to let the girls have a better experience

MarieDeGournay · 19/08/2025 10:06

TreeGarden93 · 19/08/2025 09:51

I went to a hospital yesterday, as I regularly do (as a cancer patient).

The new building has a very busy waiting area, approx 200 people capacity and is often full. The toilets there I think are quite unusual in that they are not single sex, as they have shared was basins, but have they do have men/women toilet cubicles once you are inside.

Diagram and photo attached.

The toilet cubicles are fully enclosed with lockable doors. The wash basins are all open plan, used by both men and women.
The first 3 toilets have the traditional woman picture on the door, the last 3 toilets have a male picture. The toilets are very busy and people queue by the sinks, with men having to walk past the women as their toilets are at the end of the row.

I’m not a toilet expert… but I don’t like them. They have single toilets, but then shared spaces wash basins.
I would choose to avoid any toilet that I had to share an intimate space with men. I would prefer single sex toilets.
As you can imagine, all cancer patients may have particular and urgent needs when using a bathroom and washroom that may need privacy and sensitivity.

I don’t think this meets the criteria for being uni-sex? I thought unisex sex toilets had to have wash facilities within the cubicle.

This is a new building… opened last year to much fanfare, so they have been purposely designed this way. I suspect the male and female signs have been added as an after thought to try and direct men to use specific toilets.

I have the URL of Doc T of the UK Building Regs - which only apply to England, I've been told recently - on speed-dial
and if the building is in England, and if it is new, I think that means it has to comply with these regs.

(1) Toilet accommodation in buildings other than dwellings—

(a) must consist of—
(i) (ii) reasonable provision for male and female single-sex toilets, or where space precludes provision of single-sex toilets, universal toilets, and

(b) may consist of universal toilets in addition to single-sex toilets.

(2) In this requirement— “single-sex toilet” means toilet facilities which—
(a) are intended for the exclusive use of persons of the same sex, and
(b) provide washbasins and hand-drying facilities in—
(i) either the toilet room or cubicle, or
a separate area intended for use only by persons of that sex.

“universal toilet” means toilet facilities which—
(a) are provided in a fully enclosed room which contains a water closet and washbasin and hand-drying facilities, and
(b) is intended for individual use by persons of either sex.

1.16 There should be no shared hand-washing facilities in corridors, circulation spaces or shared spaces outside universal toilets of Type A or Type B.
Toilet accommodation: Approved Document T [2010, amended in 2024]

So on the face of it, it looks like this toilet provision in a new building doesn't comply with building regs either in the provision of single-sex toilets or the spec of the unisex toilets.

NB: IANAAEOUKBR- I am not an expert on UK building regs!

GlomOfNit · 19/08/2025 10:05

Please do write to them. I think it's probably not illegal (I can think of similar restaurant set-ups) but in the context of a hospital it's massively insensitive and inviting abuse. Women (and men) with pads they are bleeding/incontinent onto, women weakened by illness and doubly vulnerable, potentially predatory men with any remaining filters removed by illness/MH issues ...

no thanks.

Original poster

TreeGarden93 · 19/08/2025 10:04

Freda69 · 19/08/2025 09:58

I would feel very unsafe in those toilets. In addition, if somebody fainted or was unwell, which is very possible, there are no gaps for staff to check up on that person.
I’m sure the lady on here who is an expert on loo safety will have something to say about them. I think you should complain ASAP. Are there any single sex ones you could use elsewhere in the building?
Wishing you well with your health as well.

Thank you.

I’m not sure what the alternatives are in the new building. It’s massive, and next time I’m there I shall spend some of my waiting time exploring the toilet provision!

I know there are single sex toilets elsewhere in the hospital, especially in the older parts of the building. To get there you need to walk through various corridors, so not an easy alternative for some.

OP posts:

Original poster

TreeGarden93 · 19/08/2025 09:59

GCAcademic · 19/08/2025 09:56

I'm pretty sure those are illegal, even with the signs on the doors (which I'm guessing was an afterthought and attempt at cover-up when they realised that the set-up is illegal).

Yes I agree the signs definitely feel like an after thought and an attempt at damage limitation.

is this set up illegal? I’m going to write to them anyway.

OP posts:

Freda69 · 19/08/2025 09:58

I would feel very unsafe in those toilets. In addition, if somebody fainted or was unwell, which is very possible, there are no gaps for staff to check up on that person.
I’m sure the lady on here who is an expert on loo safety will have something to say about them. I think you should complain ASAP. Are there any single sex ones you could use elsewhere in the building?
Wishing you well with your health as well.

GCAcademic · 19/08/2025 09:56

I'm pretty sure those are illegal, even with the signs on the doors (which I'm guessing was an afterthought and attempt at cover-up when they realised that the set-up is illegal).

Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 19/08/2025 09:53

These are dangerous toilets. Easy to attack women in.

babasaclover · 19/08/2025 09:52

Can yourself lucky that there is some separation the ones in our local hospital are all unisex so there is always piss on the sea and disgusting stains from the men