Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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1188. To ask the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding mixed gender wards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14049/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The HSE has confirmed that it is not their practice to mix male and female patients in in-patient wards. However, while the situation is avoided where possible, all hospitals must optimise the availability and occupancy of all bed spaces. As a result, there are extenuating circumstances where mixed wards can occur in Emergency Departments, Acute Medical Assessment Units, Intensive Care Units and Coronary Care Units. In these situations best practices are in place to protect the privacy and dignity of patients. The ongoing improvements in ward accommodation and increase in single room accommodation aims to provide appropriate accommodation for all patients.

The HSE intends that all newly built acute hospital in-patient accommodation at new hospital builds, major additions to existing hospitals or major renovations to existing hospital in-patient accommodation areas should be made up entirely of single patient rooms and that all newly built non-acute hospital in-patient accommodation, when included within an acute hospital setting, should be made up of a minimum of 50% single patient rooms.