Decision on single-sex spaces in hospitals needs to be made, says Scotland's patient safety commissioner

Commissioner Karen Titchener told a key Holyrood committee that Scotland has not “got this right” and said there needs to be something done to make sure vulnerable women are protected while in hospital.

She told the health, social care and sport committee that patients had told her they were locking themselves in their hospital rooms because of fears about trans women on the ward.

Ms Titchener said: “In acute mental health [wards], 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.

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“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 also said nurses had complained to her about sharing changing rooms with trans women on the back of the ongoing employment tribunal between nurse Sandie Peggie and her employer NHS Fife.

Ms Titchener said: “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, particularly in mental health wards? That’s a very vulnerable group.”

During the evidence session SNP backbencher Joe FitzPatrick said he was concerned she had not made it clear that she was also considering trans patients’ rights in this debate.

In response, the commissioner said: “Everyone has a right to care, and the perception of danger doesn’t mean there is an actual danger.

“But what we’re not doing is protecting female patients who are feeling vulnerable.

“If there are two vulnerable people both needing the exact same care, it’s really important that both perceive they are getting the right care for them.”

Ms Titchener also admitted that while she had discussed this issue with the Women’s Rights Network, she had not spoken to LGBT+ groups.

Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP, the Scottish Conservatives’ health spokesman and an NHS GP, said: “The independent patient safety commissioner was absolutely right to demand action to protect single-sex spaces for patients and staff.

“People are at their most vulnerable when in a hospital bed. That is why access to single-sex spaces, especially on hospital wards, is critically important.

“Failure to provide these spaces risks patients’ safety and mental wellbeing. The SNP should never put ideology ahead of patient care.”

He added: “This isn’t about politics - it;s about basic human safety and dignity.”