How are Patients' Sexual Needs Managed in UK Medium Secure Hospitals?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
How are Patients’ Sexual Needs Managed in UK NHS Medium Secure Hospitals? Exploring the Experiences of Staff and Patients
IRAS ID
337468
Contact name
Caroline Oliver
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 14 days
Research summary
There is limited research on patients' sexual needs, specifically what is currently permitted within secure hospitals. Previous research has stressed the importance of intimacy and healthy sexual relationships on recovery from mental ill health. However, the sexual needs of patients in UK secure hospitals appear to still be largely overlooked. It has been found that the UK is the most restrictive in practice, compared to other countries in Europe, where conjugal visits are permitted (scheduled time spent in a private area with intimate partners from outside). Research suggests that, in the UK, decisions are largely made at staff's discretion but this would appear to vary considerably between staff/disciplines, with some being overly restrictive and some being more permissive. Some research has suggested that hospitals allow for pornography/sex aid access, some research suggests that there is a blanket ban. More research is therefore needed to explore the discrepancies in practice, and potential variations between hospitals, due to the absence of national policy guidelines.
Due to the paucity of research in this area, the current project will adopt an exploratory qualitative approach by interviewing 10 staff and 10 patients within NHS medium-secure hospitals. Exploring the variations in attitudes and experiences in this area is essential given the current impact this appears to have. The researcher will, therefore, attempt to gather data from staff participants from different disciplines, but also from different services, to broaden the sample. Sampling the views of the patients themselves (across different services) will add value in this under-researched area, given the importance of person-centred care and hearing the patient voice. Participants will be required to engage in an hour-long semi-structured interview. The study aims to recruit from 4 different hospital sites to explore discrepancies in practice between hospitals and professionals, which no previous research in the UK has done.
REC name
London - Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/LO/0881
Date of REC Opinion
7 Feb 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion