New NHS guidance on same sex accommodation

[LukewarmCustard]

The guidance starts out well. '1.2 Guidance statement: Providers of NHS-funded care are expected to have a zero-tolerance approach to mixed-sex accommodation, except where it is in the overall best interest of all patients affected.'

But then there is Annex B, which says 'Trans people should be accommodated according to their presentation: the way they dress, and the name and pronouns they currently use. This may not always accord with the physical sex appearance of the chest or genitalia. It does not depend on their having a gender recognition certificate (GRC) or legal name change. It applies to toilet and bathing facilities (except, for instance, that preoperative trans people should not share open shower facilities).' Annex B was apparently written with input from the Government Equalities Office.

NHS accommodation is now mixed sex accommodation with allocations based on pronouns.

@AnyOldPrion you are entirely correct. We did complain, the staff on the ward were horrified and very apologetic. Apparently this individual is a frequent flyer in a very specialist ward. It was a bloody relief when MIL deteriorated and moved to HDU. Upon her return she was placed in another ward.

Thanks Lukewarm makes sense as my MP has consistently said he is trying to inform himself...despite my informing him frequently!
He is a Leeds MP though so will be under pressure from the usual suspects.

Thanks Custard I will. I’d like to try and pursue the FOI angle as well though because if, like the Welsh government, they haven’t bloody bothered to do a EqIA then I want to report them. I’m sick of it. Every single fucking idiot/dangerous threat to safeguarding at every single fucking level ought to answer for their decisions on this. It’s so harmful to women and girls.

BadgertheBodger The policy is a NHS England document so your FOI should go to them. You can ask for the equality impact assessment for this policy. If they haven't done one, then they will tell you that. I did a search for their FOI contacts and came up with this page.

I've already fired off an email. To [email protected]

That was the email address on the document itself.

Got an automated email back saying that they'll respond within 18 days. This also said that you can do a specific FOI request at [email protected].

I'll see what I get back first.

Here is what I sent:

I have read your document Delivering Same-sex Accommodation, September 2019.

I am confused about what you mean by "single-sex".

The document states:

"Providers of NHS-funded care are expected to have a zero-tolerance approach to mixed-sex accommodation, except where it is in the overall best interest of all patients affected",

It then goes on to state that:

A breach occurs at the point a patient is admitted to mixed-sex accommodation outside the guidance.

• Patients should not normally have to share sleeping accommodation with members of the opposite sex.
• Patients should not have to share toilet or bathroom facilities with members of the opposite sex.
• Patients should not have to walk through an area occupied by patients of the opposite sex to reach toilets or bathrooms; this excludes corridors.
• Women-only day rooms should be provided in mental health inpatient units

Annex B completely contradicts this by stating that those patients who identify as transgender may choose accommodation that is opposite to their biological sex. In addition, it states that non-binary patients may also choose opposite-sex accommodation if they wish.

Clearly, this policy in Annex B makes single-sex accommodation into mixed-sex accommodation. This, according to the rest of the documentation, is a breach of the document's own guidelines.

For example, I am female and expect female single-sex accommodation in hospital. If two biologically male individuals choose to stay on the female ward (as Annex B guidance allows them to), then how is that female ward single-sex? Surely that is a breach of the guidance that states "patients should not normally have to share sleeping accommodation with members of the opposite sex"?

What are the rights of women to single-sex accommodation in this policy?

Many religious women would self-exclude from services rather than have to share with biological males.

Could you please send me a copy of your Equality Impact Assessment Report that was undertaken in order to draw up this document.

Please also send me any other documentation that assesses the impact on females and their right to single-sex spaces under the Equality Act 2010.

Great message Popchyk.

This from Catherine Bennett a couple of years ago seems relevant. www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/30/mixed-sexed-wards-endanger-and-humiliate-women

I will write to my MP as well.

He is helpful and I know he's talked about mixed-sex wards before (in negative terms).

I'll ask him to send the letter on to Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health.

Actually, I will ask MNHQ if they will invite Matt Hancock on for a webchat. I know the Tory Party conference is on at the moment, but maybe in a few weeks. Be good to get his views on other health matters also.

Excellent email Popchyk

There was an awful case last year, involving a woman whose psychosis made her terrified of men.

metro.co.uk/2018/01/14/woman-who-feared-men-accused-of-transphobia-after-objecting-to-hospital-room-with-trans-woman-7227597/

That Catherine Bennett article in the Guardian has a link to a 2008 study published in the British Journal of Nursing, 'Mixed sex wards and patient dignity: nurses and patients perspectives'. Link.

The abstract says: 'With the exception of specialized units, adults have historically been cared for in single-sex hospital wards in the UK. However, over the past two decades, concerns about mixed-sex wards have been reported. Respect and dignity are essential to provide high-quality health care. The issue of whether patients' privacy and dignity are compromised by mixed-sex wards is addressed in this article. Qualitative data were obtained from both nurses and patients on a mixed-sex surgical ward specializing in urology, to obtain individual perspectives relating to factors affecting dignity on the ward. Nurses tried hard to keep bays single-sex but, due to bed shortages, they were under continual pressure to mix the bays. Some patients of both sexes and varied ages perceived that a mixed-sex care environment threatened their dignity. They experienced a lack of privacy, worried about bodily exposure and felt uncomfortable. Nurses used various strategies to reduce patients' discomfort. Mixed sex accommodation is an unacceptable solution to bed shortages.'

In US mixed sex wards are the norm (private rooms are single sex if shared). Also patient bathrooms are almost always single sex. Reading your POV it’s interesting as I wonder if safeguarding is fine differently to accommodate.

That document is a total incoherent disaster though. pops response is perfection.

Letter to MP done.

How many people usually share a ward in UK hospitals?
I've seen wards of 8 people although I haven't needed to visit a hospital in a while so things could have changed.
Presumably this also applies to childrens wards? Where could be the harm in young people, teens maybe sharing in mixed sex wards 🙄

Seeing as when my 17yo was poorly and in hospital she was on an adult ward this is scary. It was bad enough with the slightly crackers female patients wondering around and coming into her bed space without throwing men into the mix.

These were linked on a thread about medical forms - it seems we've had the wool pulled over our eyes for a number of years...

Medium Article

MN thread

Good email
Popchyk, will be interested to see what their response is.

Have they done a risk assessment about how they will ensure the safety of vulnerable female patients?

They won’t have. Because hey TWAW and women’s don’t sexually abuse other women do they? Us girls don’t mind pitching in and sharing a ward do we? So when my sister who is loosing her sight as part of her shitty illness goes into hospital that will be fucking brilliant won’t it?

Good question SleepyKat.

And non-binary has no legal status.

They may as well say "blokes who are fans of Star Wars are entitled to access female single-sex spaces but not other blokes".

sleepyKat I’m at the point where I’d probably keel over if there actually was a risk assessment in place. Never mind that we all know it would have to include mind-bending standards of doublethink, just simply that one existed. There won’t be one because our government, public services and organisations have all be captured to the point that they no longer give the shiniest of shits about women and girls, inasmuch as they ever did

I’m just putting together a FOI request. Does anyone have any pointers?

Of course, the reality is they haven’t done an impact assessment. Because they forgot women have rights.

Knewmee Here are a few things which I would be interested in seeking. Their equality impact assessment. A list of all the organisations they consulted with in preparation of the document. Copies of correspondence with those organisations. Notes from meetings with those organisations. Correspondence with the Government Equalities Office about the document. Notes of meetings with the Government Equalities Office about the document.

*seeing