Removal of a gynaecology specific ward (FOI)

​​Request

A

What was the rationale for removing a gynaecology specific ward at the hospital?

B

What alternative process has been put in place to protect and prioritise women requiring an inpatient stay, where privacy and dignity is of the highest importance?

Response

A

The restructure of surgical wards is based upon the best utilisation of beds available across the service. 

Both nationally and internationally, there has been an appetite to close dedicated gynaecology wards and absorb those requiring admission as gynaecology inpatients into female surgical beds.

Most gynaecology surgery is performed as day case surgery or 24-hour stay, which further supports the rationale for better bed utilisation as female surgical beds across specialties.

B

Health and Community Services (HCS) ensure that female patients are accommodated in single-sex female inpatient bays. Similarly, HCS ensure that the same dignity and respect is afforded to male patients, who are accommodated in dedicated male in-patient bays. ​