Tories hit out over mixed-sex wards

Single-sex wards in the West Midlands are far from being abolished by the Government despite assurances the goal is within "touching distance", the Tories said today.

The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs New Cross Hospital, along with Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust were among 15 out of 110 which admitted they still did not meet standards on providing curtains and partitions to full height to ensure privacy.

Figures obtained by the party under the Freedom of Information Act suggest two-thirds of NHS trusts across the country are still failing to meet set standards.

Mixed-sex wards are usually separated into bays of around half a dozen beds.

Mid Staffordshire, The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals and University Hospital Birmingham also said that patients on their way to the toilet have to walk through mixed-sex areas in some wards.

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust said it would cost too much to respond fully to the Tories' inquiry.

The data comes after Health Secretary Alan Johnson said just a few weeks ago that mixed-sex accommodation in the NHS will be abolished within a year, adding the goal was within "touching distance".

Guidelines for the NHS published in December said bays should have three solid walls, with the fourth wall open or partially enclosed. Using curtains to separate men and women is not allowed under the guidelines.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said today: "It doesn't matter how Labour try to twist the definition of mixed-sex wards in hospitals, they've managed to fail on every count. Their endless promises to eliminate mixed-sex accommodation have never been fulfilled and patients have been badly let down. Alan Johnson said just last month that no-one should be put in accommodation where they have to mix with the opposite sex."

Health Minister Ann Keen said wide variations in same-sex wards by hospitals was "completely unacceptable". She said: "Nine out of 10 people admitted to hospital for planned operations stay in single-sex accommodation, the 2007 inpatient survey has shown. However, I know there is wide variation in patient experiences across the NHS. This is completely unacceptable.

"We have made this a top priority for the NHS and have asked every primary care trust in England to set challenging local plans for improvement.

"The NHS should be in no doubt about how seriously we take this issue."