I cannot wait until the NHS has to comply with the SC judgment and ensure its staff have genuine single-sex facilities again.
Single sex facilities (with or without added gender adherents) are in short supply in my experience (which admittedly doesn’t involve extensive tours of hospitals up and down the country). If they aren’t already gender neutral spaces that will surely be the way trusts will go despite the law requiring provision single sex spaces.
My hospital has created a new ITU by repurposing three adjoining wards. I sometimes have cause to go up there, and naturally am interested to see what changing facilities have been provided - the SP case was ongoing whilst the works were done, I think it completed in April and the staff mostly wear scrubs - they need proper changing facilities.
As far as I have been able to observe there is an entrance corridor with various rooms on each side - offices, kitchen, relatives room. There are two doors opposite each other marked “Staff only” with a key pad. One has a frosted glass panel. This one had been left propped open by the cleaner as I passed so I nipped in for a look. I wish I could post pictures but that would be a little too identifying. I can’t tell you how shocked I was by this room. It’s a narrow L shaped room with a block of 15 lockers (small square, stacked five high) and next to the lockers is a loo. Literally right next to the lockers! Opposite the loo in the L part is a spacious shower.
So only one person at a time can use the space to change or access lockers which must be very trying at busy shift changeover times. Having the loo directly next to the lockers absolutely disgusts me. Eww. Splash back anyone? And bending down to loo height to access the lockers directly next to it? I’m not sure about hygiene regulations but this can’t be acceptable surely?
I don’t know if the room opposite is a mirror image or similar layout or if there are any other changing rooms I haven’t spotted. But take it from me - staff comfort and convenience are VERY low priority. But hey ho. Anyone can use it whatever their sex or gender. 👍