Mixed sex wards used a record 5,000 times in a single month – despite Wes Streeting condemning practice
Use of mixed-sex wards reaches highest level in 15 years
- The use of mixed-sex wards in English hospitals has reached its highest level in nearly 15 years.
- Official figures from NHS England show that rules against mixed-sex accommodation were breached 5,180 times in January, the first time this figure has exceeded 5,000 since March 2011.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting had previously criticised the practice under the Conservative government, but the highest single-month breach figure occurred under the current Labour administration.
- The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) described the practice as "undignified and unsafe", calling for urgent investment to increase bed capacity and improve community care.
- NHS Providers said that mixed wards are sometimes unavoidable due to extreme pressure on available beds.