§ Mr. Nicholas BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines are issued by her Department concerning mixed sex hospital wards; and what representations she has received.
§ Mr. SackvilleNone, but the patient's charter expects patients to be treated with dignity and respect for their cultural and religious beliefs. There will also be a new national standard addressing mixed sex wards in the revised and expanded patient's charter to be published in the new year. The Department has received several
1991–92 1992–93 Regional Health Authority Retained savings £million Percent of budgets set percent Retained savings £million Percent of budgets set percent. Northern 0.7 1.6 2.3 3.6 Yorkshire 1.1 2.1 3.3 3.2 Trent 1.5 4.0 1.9 2.3 East Anglian 0.6 4.5 0.6 2.5 N W Thames 0.7 2.6 2.0 3.3 N E Thames 1.0 6.1 1.6 5.8 S E Thames 0.7 3.6 1.2 2.9 S W Thames 1.6 6.1 1.1 2.1 Wessex 0.7 3.1 1.8 3.4 Oxford 1.1 3.6 3.2 4.8 S Western 0.6 2.4 1.5 2.8 W Midlands 2.6 7.3 4.9 5.9 Mersey 1.1 4.2 2.8 4.7 N Western 0.7 3.0 0.4 0.9 England 14.5 3.7 28.3 3.5 Note:
Retained savings may not sum to England totals due to rounding.
322Wrepresentations about mixed sex wards both from hon. Members and from members of the public.
§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to discourage mixed sex wards in acute patient care.
§ Mr. SackvilleIt is for individual hospitals to decide in the light of local conditions whether, and if so in what circumstances, mixed sex wards should be used. The revised and expanded patient's charter to be published in the new year will include a new national standard on mixed sex wards.