The NHS Operating Framework for 2012-2013 confirmed that all providers of NHS funded care are expected to eliminate mixed-sex accommodation, except where it is in the overall best interest of the patient.

From 1 December 2010, the collection of monthly Mixed-Sex Accommodation (MSA) breaches was introduced. NHS organisations submit data on the number of occurrences of unjustified mixing in relation to sleeping accommodation. The collection enables the analysis and publication of consistently defined data to allow patients and members of the public to understand the extent to which MSA is occurring at individual organisations.

Data

• Latest mixed-sex accommodation data available here

Statistical press notice

• Mixed-Sex Accommodation Stats Press Notice – March 2025 (PDF, 118K)

Pre-release access list

• Pre-release access list (PDF, 36KB)

Guidance and information

In September 2019, an updated policy NHS England » Delivering same-sex accommodation was published. Reporting from January 2020 data should reflect these updates.

• Mixed-sex accommodation guidance v1.5 (PDF, 167KB)
• Mixed-sex accommodation breach rate indicator methodology (PDF, 171KB)
• Mixed-Sex Accommodation (MSA) DCB – NHS England Digital

Contact us

For further information about the published statistics, please contact us at:

Operational Insights
NHS England
7 & 8 Wellington Place
Leeds, LS1 4AP

Email: england.electivepublications@nhs.net

If you are a patient wishing to discuss your own mixed-sex accommodation experience, you should contact your local integrated care board (ICB), which you can find on the NHS website.