Mixed Sex Wards

Former Member · May 2007

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6639617.stm

hmmmm anyone notice it that much? Maybe I haven't been in hospital for a long enough stay for it to be a problem...

Former Member · May 2007

Campaigners say mixed-sex accommodation denies patients the chance of treatment with "privacy, respect and dignity".

How ? I doesn't matter if it's a man or a woman who sees ya giblets or overhears about your piles, it's still embarassing.

Personally it wouldn't bother me either way. I'm in hospital to get better not complain that i only want men to see me cock. Mind you, that being said...............

Indrid Cold · May 2007

RubberSkin wrote: »

How ? I doesn't matter if it's a man or a woman who sees ya giblets or overhears about your piles, it's still embarassing.

:yes: It's embarrassing or not embarrassing regardless, really.
Or, um, should be?

Former Member · May 2007

It is nothing short of a disgrace that mixed sex wards still exist.

It is pretty bad that wards exist at all. There should be rooms for no more than 4 people at the worst.

But to have mixed sex wards is appalling. Whatever happened to Blair's promise to get rid of them?

Former Member · May 2007

I think maybe its more of an issue for the older generation who would probably feel more strongly about mixed wards although saying that I think I'd be happier in an all female ward. The thought of anyone hearing me on a bedpan is bad enough but having to use the bedpan with men in the room seems even worse to me. Privacy is also a bit issue and the gaping curtains dont help so I think Id rather have another woman opposite me than a man being able to look.

Former Member · May 2007

I was under the impression that a ward refers to the entire section of the hospital, not a room with six beds in it. Therefore, it's quite possible to have mixed wards without needing to pee in a room full of the opposite sex as you put it. Surely it's better to have all the people with similar problems fairly close together, whatever their sex, rather than having to have doctors and nurses that specialise in a particular field needing to be split between two wards that could be on opposite sides of the hospital?

Ironically, whenever my mum goes into hospital, she get's put on the mens ward (i.e. the one that deals specifically with men's issues) because that's the ward she works on, and she likes seeing her friends.

Former Member · May 2007

At our hospital, we have mixed wards, with men down one side and women down the other, so they only mix in the day room..both sides have their own bathroom and shower. Tho, when I was in for a week, I was ok as I was on the women's ward that dealth with women only probs.
I wouldnt see it as much of an issue tho, if men were down one side and women down the other.

Former Member · May 2007

I think it depends very much on what you're there for- a mixed ward that deal with gynaelogical problems might not be a very nice idea- but then if its a general ward I can't really see the difference. I suppose it's to prevent embarrassment and make patients feel more at ease. If you were a young woman, for example, and had a pervy old man in the next bed you wouldn't be too happy about being examined. Those curtains don't lend themselves to privacy.

Bunnie · May 2007

Initially I read this, and though 'I cant see a problem' but the more I think about it, the more I do think I would find it uncomfortable running around in a sexy, backless nightgown with my bum on show.
I dont think I have seen a mixed ward - either visiting or being a patient, hence me initially seeing no problem.

But in agreement with RS' post (well parts of it

) you go to hospital to get better, not cause a fuss as to what type of ward it is. I think we firstly need to deal with cleanliness issues and superbugs before we moan about who is in the next bed.

Former Member · May 2007

At one of the wards I was on, there was a room for girls and a room for boys. I don't think we have any mixed sex wards.

Former Member · May 2007

There is one empty bed in the hospital and you have just come through A&E. The bed is "allocated" to the opposite gender.

Would you take it, or not?

For me, I guess, the whole issue is about perspectives and needs. When I am in hospital I want treating by the best people on the best ward and I really couldn't give a shit who is in the next bed.

In fact, let me take it further. Are you happy for six beds to be empty just because there are no women waiting to fill them?

Former Member · May 2007

Aladdin wrote: »

Whatever happened to Blair's promise to get rid of them?

Real life.

Former Member · May 2007

Or broken promises.

It all boil downs to money. Build new hospitals that have no wards, only rooms, and close or refurbish the old ones.

But that costs money. And there are elections and newspapers to consider.

Former Member · May 2007

Dobbin wrote: »

I think it depends very much on what you're there for- a mixed ward that deal with gynaelogical problems might not be a very nice idea

men with gynaecological problems?

Im sure there are religious and cultural reasons for wanting seperate sex wards but then again Im sure there are plenty of people for whom it is not an issue.

Former Member · May 2007

Aladdin wrote: »

It is nothing short of a disgrace that mixed sex wards still exist.

It is pretty bad that wards exist at all. There should be rooms for no more than 4 people at the worst.

But to have mixed sex wards is appalling. Whatever happened to Blair's promise to get rid of them?

At the end of the day the NHS has a limited budget and saving lives is always going to come first.

Former Member · May 2007

Aladdin wrote: »

Or broken promises.

It all boil downs to money. Build new hospitals that have no wards, only rooms, and close or refurbish the old ones.

But that costs money. And there are elections and newspapers to consider.

Electorally it's a vote winner - new hospital. Well in most cases, sadly many people are emotionally attached to their old run down shit tip, but hey what do people know

Seriously you would have to build hundreds of hospitals and they don't come cheap - although usually cheaper than refurbishing them.

And you have to ask, is it really necessary? Mixed wards are not as important as the actual treatment given and I defy you to give me an argument would differs from that. Fiscally therefore you have to ask where should our taxes go, on buildings which will be out of date soon anyway, or on treating people even if it's on a mixed ward?

Former Member · May 2007

Aladdin wrote: »

It is nothing short of a disgrace that mixed sex wards still exist.

It is pretty bad that wards exist at all. There should be rooms for no more than 4 people at the worst.

But to have mixed sex wards is appalling. Whatever happened to Blair's promise to get rid of them?

What's appalling about it?

Former Member · May 2007

I guess if one is a pervert hoping to get glimpses of ladies' bits, mixed wards are great.

For everyone else, they are a source of discomfort and distress- which incidentally works against their getting cured.

Former Member · May 2007

Aladdin wrote: »

Or broken promises.

It all boil downs to money. Build new hospitals that have no wards, only rooms, and close or refurbish the old ones.

But that costs money. And there are elections and newspapers to consider.

Who's gonna pay for it? You, me? I hope not, my taxes are high enough as they are especially when you consider a member of the opposite sex being in a bed across the room from you isn't really a big deal if you're busy sleeping/eating/recovering.

Former Member · May 2007

Top of my head

- Trident replacement budget could pay for it- 20 times over

- Iraq war budget could pay for it- 2-3 times over

- an extra 10% tax on amounts over 100k would pay for it

- closing loopholes that allow the likes of Rupert Murdoch to cheat the country out billions of Pounds of tax every single year would pay for it

There are many ways to pay for it that would not cost an extra penny to ordinary people.

Former Member · May 2007

Whowhere wrote: »

Who's gonna pay for it? You, me? I hope not, my taxes are high enough as they are especially when you consider a member of the opposite sex being in a bed across the room from you isn't really a big deal if you're busy sleeping/eating/recovering.

Actually, it can be quite unsettling for patients. My mother was in hospital recently and there was a guy in a bed opposite that kept swearing generally and also getting aggressive with the nurses ...

Why should it cost that much more anyway? All you do is divide the wards into male and female.

Indrid Cold · May 2007

Teagan wrote: »

Actually, it can be quite unsettling for patients. My mother was in hospital recently and there was a guy in a bed opposite that kept swearing generally and also getting aggressive with the nurses ...

It could just as easily have been a woman who was swearing and getting aggressive with the nurses.

Former Member · May 2007

Teagan wrote: »

Why should it cost that much more anyway? All you do is divide the wards into male and female.

Except that you now need to have two orthopaedic wards, with relevant trained nurses, also two surgery wards, two general medical wards etc

Besr in mind that you may have beds empty on one of those wards because it's women who are admitted and not men, whilst at the same time you no longer have enough female-only beds for the same reason...

If it was that easy, don't you think that the NHS would be all single sex wards?

Former Member · May 2007

i've been in hospital where i live. there were guys on the ward as well as women. i thought that was normal...
reading this i would think not

Former Member · May 2007

Aladdin wrote: »

For everyone else, they are a source of discomfort and distress- which incidentally works against their getting cured.

are you speaking from experience there?

Former Member · May 2007

I would much prefer a bed on a women only ward, but wouldn't say no to treatment on a mixed ward if I needed it.

Former Member · May 2007

I think unless I was critical I wouldn't want to spend long in a ward anyway. I'm only a 5 minute drive away from the hospital if there was anything the matter.

Former Member · May 2007

If I was in a ward I figure I'd be ill enough not to care. We have private healthcare, so presumably for anything non-critical I'd end up at the private hospital instead. Not 100% sure how it works. :chin:

When Dad was in intensive care (with a colostomy bag and t'other one) there was also a woman in there, and he was more bothered by the fact that she was crying out a lot in obvious pain than the fact she was a woman. Whether or not it'd bother me would depend on the problem and the company I guess.

Mixed Sex Wards

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