Mixed-sex wards have been a thorn in NHS reputation for a long time. Both NHS and the government promised to abolish this practice long time ago, which emerged due to extreme shortage of nurses, especially during peak winter months when hospitals are inundated with beds, as well as staff shortages due to peak demand created by flu victims, as well as elderly, chronically sick and children whose demands far exceed parsimonious resources at the disposal of NHS.
So often male patient urgently needing bed but only available in female ward and vice versa that gave birth to mixed-sex wards out of bare necessity rather than NHS policy!
Sustainable occupancy bed-ratio should be no more than 85%. But during winter months it is more often than not touches 100% leaving no room for emergencies, A & E patients have to spend hours on trollies parked in corridors!
According to latest report, the situation has even worsened, especially in mental health wards, as these patients are fragile, emotionally drained and more unwell than ordinary patients, in need of special attention which is at a premium during winter months, especially after Christmas holidays when we are all prone to over-indulgence with food, drinks and late night outings.
Mixed-sex wards are the symptom of many other shortages, pitfalls and mismanagement arising mainly from inadequate financial resources allocated to NHS, shortages of auxiliary staffs, nurses, doctors and Consultants most of whom only devote a limited time to NHS, having their own private lucrative practise.
It is a good omen that government is thinking of overhauling overseas aid budget, in view of the implementation of Brexit when money will be tight and perhaps economy, GDP may decline, at least in the beginning when saving every penny counts!
It is time for our luminary politicians to concentrate on our long suffering people when most politicians are obsessed with thinking charity begins and ends overseas!
Kumudini Valambia
By email
