Delivering Same Sex Accommodation Action Plan

County Durham and Darlington Foundation NHS Trust (CDDFT) is confident that there are no areas in the Trust that are failing the national guidance on delivering same sex accommodation.

The PCT and CDDFT will ensure that there will be no deterioration in performance in 2008 and the projected percentages are attached.

CDDFT recognise that despite the confidence around full compliance, the reported percentages for 2007 need to be understood and that there is work to do to understand the patient experience and why they believe they are being failed in some way.

Under the framework of Seizing the Future, the Trust has a keen interest in ensuring as part of service redesign that it delivers improvements in patient experience, including any perception around same sex accommodation. Through a patient communications strategy the Trust will ensure that patients understand what is happening under Seizing the Future, what the Trust aspires to, and involve the patient in service redesign wherever possible.

Delivering Same Sex Accommodation Plan

Issue / Action / Timescale
Patient survey suggests that 8% of our patients experience mixed sex accommodation / To raise awareness with patients regarding the definition of same sex accommodation by:
·  Up-date Day Surgery leaflet to contain information regarding mixed sex unit
·  Amending the ‘Coming into Hospital’ booklet that has been developed for elective inpatients
·  Amending the bedside patient information packs to include information re accommodation.
·  Display information on how to raise a concern regarding mixed sex accommodation
·  Information to be added to the Trust website to inform patients. / In place
Aug 2009
Dec 2009
Complete
Complete
Perception of shared bathing and toilet facilities / To ensure that all bathrooms and toilets have interchangeable pictorial signs to reflect the patients within that bay / DMH and UHND Complete
BAGH complete
Need to ensure privacy and dignity at all times / The Trust has a well established Privacy and Dignity policy.
Signs for bed curtains have been developed to ensure everyone checks prior to entering a curtained bed space / In place
In place
Need to understand the views of current patients / Monthly satisfaction survey of 5 pts per ward undertaken by matrons. One of the questions is ‘do staff treat you with dignity and respect’. Current performance 95%.
·  Matrons to respond to issues at the time for early resolution
·  Additional survey planned specifically around mixed sex accommodation / Ongoing
In place
·  Patient in admission ward are sometimes nursed in mixed sex bays. Patient survey shows 6% nursed in mixed sex bays and 19% share use of bathrooms / ·  convert a large room between Wards 3 and 4 at UHND to two storage rooms. This will release the large store, at the centre of Ward 3 (admission ward) which has nearby plumbing, to be converted into 2 shower/toilets
·  Purchase of female pyjamas for elderly confused patients who have a tendency to kick bedclothes off.
·  Intended to convert a space at the entrance of Ward 11 at DMH for storage to release space within the ward for a shower room. Due to Seizing the Future, this has been moved from ward 11 to ward 54 which is DSSA compliant - no need for scheme to go ahead now.
·  Partition screens between the beds in one 4 bedded area on the admission wards at UHND and BAGH to improve privacy if the bay needs to be shared and BAGH privacy. UHND scheme incorporated with scheme 1. Due to StF alterations not going ahead at BAGH as the admissions unit is moving to DMH from 1st Oct 09 which is DSSA compliant.
·  To improve patient feedback by real time patient surveys using technology involving hand held devices and software for immediate analysis. Pilot at Darlington Memorial Hospital.
·  To improve publicity re single sex accommodation through posters, leaflets etc
/ October 09
Complete
N/A
October 09
N/A
October 09
completed