SIXTEEN mixed-sex accommodation (MSA) breaches at Morecambe Bay hospitals last month were put down to 'operational pressures.'

There were 14 breaches of unjustified mixing of sexes in relation to sleeping accommodation, at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and two at Furness General Hospital, Barrow.

Figures from NHS England show that nationally there were 1,523 MSA breaches during December 2017 - up from 725 in December 2016.

Foluke Ajayi, chief operating officer, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT, said that the breaches occurred as a result of 'operational pressures'.

"We understand that being in mixed-sex hospital accommodation can be difficult for some patients for a variety of personal and cultural reasons, and wherever possible, we do all we can to respect that," she said.

“As a Trust, we have worked hard to eliminate mixed-sex accommodation from our hospitals, except where it is in the overall best interests of the patient or reflects their personal choice."

She added that NHS guidelines showed that there were some circumstances where having mixed-sex accommodation could be justified, such as where patients needed highly specialised care.

“The breaches occurred as a result of operational pressures experienced when previously critically ill patients have recovered sufficiently to be moved onto a general ward, but delays arise in moving them into a general bed," she said.

“We do try to ensure mixed-sex breaches do not happen, even in our Critical Care Units, but sometimes, due to significant pressures, on our hospitals, this is unavoidable."

Ms Ajayi said that these pressures were not related to the pressures within emergency departments.

“However, we accept that this is not in the best interest of patients and we are working hard with our partners in health and social care locally to do all we can to relieve the pressures on our hospitals, and hopefully, reduce the number of mixed-sex breaches," she said.