Same (single) sex accommodation
Barnsley Hospital is committed to providing every patient with same-sex accommodation because it helps to safeguard privacy and dignity when people are at their most vulnerable.
We are fully compliant with the government's single-sex accommodation requirements.
Sharing with members of the opposite sex will only happen in exceptional circumstances. For example, if you need specialist equipment in critical care areas. In such circumstances we will aim to minimise as far as possible, the likelihood of shared sex accommodation happening.
Same-sex accommodation means:
- the room where your bed is will only accommodate patients of the same sex as you
- toilets and bathrooms will be same-sex and separated by gender, and close to your bed
It is possible that there will be patients of different genders on the same ward as you, 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 have an X-ray or to an 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 staff of different genders will come into the patient’s 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.