Mixed Sex Wards (Hansard, 11 March 2002)

§ Tim Loughton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trusts have applied for extra funding to implement the Department's policy of partitioning hospital wards to ensure non-mixed sex wards; and if he will make a statement as to the level of the financial settlement received by individual authorities and name those authorities in receipt of this extra funding. [42263]

§ Ms Blears
Guidance on maintaining privacy and dignity was first issued to the service in 1997 and the date for achieving single sex accommodation in 95 per cent. of trusts is December 2002.
Trusts are expected to use their centrally allocated funding, including block allocation for building improvements, by prioritisation of their resources over that period of time. No extra funding programme exists and it is for trusts to manage their capital to address these issues.

§ Tim Loughton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member for Wyre Forest (Dr. Taylor) on 26 February 2002,Official Report, column 1077W, if he will make a statement on the progress being made to reach the target of eliminating mixed sex accommodation in 95 per cent. of national health service trusts by December. [42359]

§ Ms Blears
The national health service is continuing to work to the target to eliminate mixed sex accommodation in 95 per cent. of national health service trusts by December 2002.
On-going monitoring of progress continues to ensure that the target date is met.

§ Tim Loughton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer given on 22 January 2002,Official Report, column 763W, if he will define the meaning of partitioning in mixed-sex wards in hospitals. [42360]

§ Ms Blears
Partitioning can be used to divide wards into bays as a means of achieving an acceptable method of protecting patients' privacy and dignity.
To ensure that they provide adequate physical separation, sound reduction and visual privacy the partition must be permanent, rigid and fixed to the building structure.
A mobile privacy screen alone is not an acceptable solution to enhancing privacy and dignity for the patient.