MORE than £1m is to be spent on reducing the number of mixed sex wards across Southampton's hospitals.
The money will be used to increase the number of single sex wards and bathrooms.
A total of £1,020,300 will be spent at Southampton General Hospital although it has yet to be decided exactly what wards will benefit from the money.
Julia Barton, associate director of nursing said: "It is great news for patients, as it will enable us to do more to improve the availability of single sex accommodation.
“Patient feedback has shown that separate accommodation and washing facilities are very important and it has been a challenge to achieve this in all areas due to the design of some wards. People are also concerned with receiving the best clinical care possible – and of course that will continue to be our highest priority.”
She said the trust has already spent £1.5m during the past three years to increase the number of single sex wards.
Meanwhile £130,000 has been awarded to NHS Southampton City to spend on extra toilet and shower facilities at the Royal South Hants Hospital.
Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS trust has been allocated £232,000 from the Department of Health to increase single sex facilities.
Some of this money will be spent on new curtains at Winchester's Royal Hampshire County Hospital for all clinical areas and new signs for all bathrooms and toilets to ensure single sex facilities are clearly marked.
Fiona McCarthy, Divisional Matron in Anaesthetics and Surgery, said: “Providing single sex accommodation is a priority for the Trust and this will help us to achieve that goal.”
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