Delivering Same Sex Accommodation at Chesterfield Royal Hospital - January 2020
At Chesterfield Royal Hospital we are dedicated to providing same-sex accommodation for inpatients on our wards, as part of our ongoing commitment to treat all patients with respect and dignity.
The Royal is highlighted as an example of good practice by the Department of Health. Particular praise was given to the hospital's Emergency Management Unit (EMU) that provides same-sex accommodation in an emergency setting.
All inpatient wards have same-sex bays, some of which have en-suite bathroom and toilet facilities with reversible signage to correspond with the male or female bay. Where en-suite bays are not available, patients still do not share toilets and bathrooms with members of the opposite sex. Neither do they pass through or by areas of the opposite sex to use their own facilities.
Some areas of the hospital, including the Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU), High Dependency Unit (HDU), and the Emergency Department provide urgent medical care in emergency situations and, in line with national guidance members of the opposite sex will be in the same facility. However, every effort is made to ensure that patients' privacy and dignity is maintained - through the use of partitioning and the absence of opposing beds.
If you have any questions about same-sex accommodations please don’t hesitate to ask a member of the ward's nursing team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does same-sex accommodation mean?
A: The room where your bed is, where you sleep, will only have patients of the same sex as you. Your toilet and bathroom will be just for your gender, and will be close to your bed area.
Q: Will there be both men and women on the ward?
A: It is likely that there will be both men and women patients on the ward, but they will not share your sleeping area. You may have to cross a ward corridor to reach your bathroom, but you will not have to walk through opposite-sex areas.
You may share some communal space, such as day rooms and it is very likely that you will see both men and women patients as you move around the hospital (e.g. on your way to X-ray or the operating theatre).
It is probable that visitors of the opposite gender will come into the room where your bed is, and this may include patients visiting each other.
It is almost certain that both male and female nurses, doctors and other staff will come into your bed area.
If you need help to use the toilet or take a bath (e.g. you need a hoist or special bath) then you may be taken to a 'unisex' bathroom used by both men and women, but a member of staff will be with you, and other patients will not be in the bathroom at the same time.