Mixed-sex Wards

HC Deb 16 January 2002 vol 378 cc395-6W

Mr. Pope

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mixed sex wards there are in NHS hospitals in each English region. [23806]

Ms Blears

The majority of hospital wards are mixed-sex wards, however these wards are usually subdivided into bays which are designated as male or female. Depending on the case mix and local need, the exact proportion of male to female bays will vary. It is therefore not possible to provide information at the level of the individual ward.

Guidance on maintaining privacy and dignity was first issued to the service in 1997 and since then trusts have been working towards clear targets to promote privacy and dignity in hospital wards.

These targets include the abolition of nightingale wards for older people and £120 million has been allocated over the next three years to make progress towards this. Schemes to modify 233 wards have already been approved to commence work this year and further schemes will begin in the next two years.