News / Mixed-sex ward fines unveiled

From 1 April hospitals found in breach of NHS rules on the treatment of patients in single-sex accommodation will be fined £250 per patient per day they remain in the mixed accommodation.

Health secretary Andrew Lansley said more than 11,000 patients (out of an estimated 1.4 million finished consultant episodes) were placed in mixed-sex accommodation in breach of the rules in December 2010.

Mr Lansley added that the fine would be reviewed regularly to ensure it achieved the desired result.

Nigel Edwards, the NHS Confederation’s acting chief executive, said patient security and dignity were important. NHS organisations had made significant strides in reducing the number of patients on mixed-sex wards, but some had not cracked the problem completely.

‘Many of the NHS organisations that have not eliminated all of their mixed-sex accommodation have real practical issues – many are in old buildings and they will need substantial re-investment to address the issue.

‘We need to understand why it is so difficult for them to stamp out the problem,’ he added.