NHS breaks mixed-sex wards rules 44,000 times in a year with patients at risk of humiliation and assault

The number of men and women sharing wards in NHS England hospitals is reportedly close to a ten-year high, with nearly 5,000 reported breaches of government rules against mixed-sex wards. The frequent use of combined wards is a result of busy hospitals, with very few exceptions applying. Hospital chiefs warn dwindling resources may result in mixed wards becoming commonplace, despite the risk of sexual assault.