(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the full report of focus groups and interviews which is summarised on page 7 of “Privacy and Dignity—the elimination of mixed sex accommodation”, issued by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement in December 2007.
Ensuring patients’ dignity and privacy while they are in hospital is very important. The operating framework for 2008-09 confirms mixed-sex accommodation as a local priority. It requires primary care trusts to review performance with all trusts, and to agree, publish and implement stretched local plans to deliver improvements.
The Government fully support the good practice guide produced by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement. It provides practical information and examples of good practice to help trusts make best use of facilities in order to ensure patients are treated with the utmost privacy and dignity. The guidance is designed to be used internally within trusts and there are no plans to centrally collect or publish these data.
The report of focus groups and interviews is currently being prepared for publication by Ipsos MORI. It will be available during February and will be placed in the Library at that point.