"Impactful on care, dignity and safety"

First of all I want to say staff are fantastic in every discipline. I do not want my post to reflect on the staff in a way at all. I’m a nurse myself and I think they are working under tremendous pressure. As a family we want to thank them for the care of my sister which was very good. 

My sister was in a bay which should have held 6 patients but holds 8. There was nowhere near enough space for safe moving and handling, for both patients and staff. The space was shockingly tight, impossible to use equipment safely and comfortably for both. This is a ward where M&H equipment would be used often. 

The worst part is that bays had both male and female patients. I feel the indignity of this is unacceptable. The Scottish government made vows years ago that this would not happen and in all my years of nursing I have never experienced mixed bays. To use a bedpan/commode is bad enough, to use these with nothing but a curtain between a man and a woman is, I believe, completely unacceptable and compromises the patient’s ability to perform these functions comfortably and with dignity. 

My post is directed at the management of this hospital. Steps must be taken to address these issues which are incredibly impactful on care, dignity and safety. I must reiterate, the staff have no control over these matters. 

I would appreciate a response.