Stop gender mixed wards in public hospitals

Two of my female elderly relatives at different times were put into mixed gender wards, they are both aged in their eighties, they felt embarrassed and uncomfortable being put in beds beside men with just thin curtains between them.

Neither the men or women had enough privacy to discuss their health problems to staff as they knew others in the ward (of opposite sex) could overhear very personal subjects related to gender illnesses and health matters that neither would want the opposite sex to hear.

Propriety of the older generation (especially) does not permit them to speak of certain subject and matters with any gender group but their own. Both of my relatives worsened health-wise due to this stress of being in mixed gender wards. Their blood pressures raised and one asked to go home immediately after witnessing a naked male leave the shared bathroom. There was no malice intended by the male patient he was very ill and probably soiled his clothes so took a shower and walked out without towel around him.

This experience upset my elderly relative. If we are to help sick people to recover we must respect their rights and their dignity.

In the U.K. mixed wards was tried but the practice failed and eventually was stopped. If the Australian government wants sick patients to recover they should consider their needs. Sick people are leaving hospital earlier than they should because they can't handle the stress of being in mixed gender wards.