NHS chief backs switch to single-bed wards

SINGLE rooms should become the “default” in hospitals, NHS England’s medical director has said, signalling an end to multi-patient wards.

Professor Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director, told the health and social care committee private rooms would offer “privacy and dignity” for patients.

It is estimated thousands of patients caught Covid while in hospital, leading to concerns over infection control measures and the quality of ventilation in some NHS buildings.

One study showed up to 11,800 people caught Covid in British hospitals in the first virus wave last year.

Historically, large hospital wards, also known as Nightingale Wards, were made up of around 30 beds. But modern wards typically include around six beds.

Recent discussions have been raised around the suitability of multi-patient wards for both patient experience and safety.

Mr Powis told the committee: “Personally, I feel that coming out of the pandemic one of things that we really need to think hard about is the number of single beds that we have.

“And I think that we need to move in our hospitals much more to single rooms being the default for privacy and dignity, and for infection control.”

It is believed to be the first time NHS England has called for the single bed model to be default.

In Scotland, the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and the Glasgow Southern General were built as single bed wards, while Tunbridge Wells Hospital, which opened in 2011, was the first NHS hospital in England to be built with single inpatient rooms across all wards.

It comes after the Government announced last year 40 hospitals will be built by 2030 as part of a package worth £3.7 billion.

But NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, said the plan would cost an additional £17 billion. It is also unclear if single bed rooms would be the preferred model for the new hospitals.

Research published in the BMJ found two-thirds of patients preferred single rooms, with factors including comfort and control outweighing any disadvantages.

But the set-up proved worse for staff, according to a study which surveyed patients and staff at the Tunbridge Wells Hospital.

Staff found “single rooms were worse for visibility, surveillance, teamwork, monitoring and keeping patients safe”, it said.