Patient safety tsar asks MSPs: ‘Why aren’t we doing single-sex wards?’

Female patients feel unsafe sharing wards with men who identify as women, Scotland’s Patient Safety Commissioner has said.

Karen Titchener urged Holyrood’s health committee to heed patient concerns about men being admitted onto female only-wards and called on the Scottish Government to protect single-sex spaces.

Last week the Court of Session heard arguments on a legal case over the Scottish Government’s policy of housing prisoners who identify as members of the opposite sex. The case was brought by campaign group For Women Scotland (FWS).

Decision

Titchener revealed: “In acute mental health, females are locking themselves in their rooms because they are concerned about this – we haven’t even got this right.

“Everyone has a right to care, but I am hearing too many times about concerns from patients. My remit is about safety and if patients are not feeling safe and locking themselves in their rooms, who is looking after their mental health?”

She added: “We have to make a decision. It isn’t about males wanting to identify as female, that’s their right, but there is a right to give someone the care they need while also protecting others, so why aren’t we doing single-sex wards?”

‘Dangerous ideology’

FWS Co-Director Susan Smith welcomed the intervention. She said: “It is refreshing to finally see someone in a position of authority take these issues in the NHS seriously.

“It has been clear for a long time that policies across the NHS need to be urgently reviewed. This is not just an issue about staffing and changing rooms, we are aware of serious cases across Scotland where the safety and dignity of highly vulnerable patients is being compromised by self-ID policies.

“For far too long, the Scottish NHS has looked at these issues through one lens, rooted in an ill-informed and dangerous ideology. That needs to change.”

The Scottish Government responded: “In relation to single sex spaces, health boards must ensure that all their facilities comply with relevant legislation, including the Equality Act 2010.”