A NURSE at Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital has said he is worried about patients’ safety and privacy after revealing men and women are now being mixed in some wards due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The NHS worker, who asked to remain anonymous, said he was particularly concerned about men and women having to use the same toilet facilities.

He also highlighted women, in particular, were likely to feel vulnerable if they were housed in the same bay as several men.

Bosses at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) confirmed they have had to adapt some hospitals so patients with Covid-19 can be kept away from others. This has led to some sites introducing mixed gender bays in certain wards.

The staff nurse said: “I am quite concerned about this from a privacy point of view and in terms of safety.

“Most people have agreed it isn’t right but when we’ve raised it with ward managers, they’ve just said it’s what we have to do in a crisis.

“From a safety point of view, if an elderly woman were in the same bay as four or five men, she might feel quite vulnerable, as there’s not always a member of staff there.

“I’m also worried about it in terms of cleanliness a bit. A few nights ago we had an incident where a woman wanted to go to the loo and when she got there it hadn’t been flushed properly. She was quite upset and we got her a toilet she could use by her bed instead.

“I just feel if things were better organised, it would not have been necessary.”

Health chiefs have said nurses are explaining the situation to patients who have been placed in mixed gender bays and stressed they would convert these back to single gender as soon as possible.

A NHSGGC spokeswoman added: “Our staff are working incredibly hard to keep all of our patients safe during the Covid-19 emergency.

“We’ve adapted our hospitals to establish clear planned pathways for patients who present to our hospitals with possible Covid-19. These pathways are designed to protect both the individual and other patients until results are known.

“There have been a small number of our hospital wards which have recently had to consider a mixed gender patient bay because of the complexity of managing Covid-19 patients.

“We wouldn’t normally choose to do this but this has been required to protect the safety of all of our patients. This is only carried out after careful assessment of hospital beds and management of multiple patient pathways that include possible, confirmed and negative Covid-19 patients, as well as those who are shielding or over 70.

“Our senior charge nurses discuss with patients who have been placed in a mixed gender bay the need to do this.

“The dignity and respect of our patients is always maintained. We will convert mixed bays to single gender as soon as possible.”

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