NHS hospitals have spent £800,000 on building nearly 740 gender-neutral toilets over past four years

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust 

Gender neutral toilets: 63

Total cost: £586,080

A spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘The FOI request did not specify a definition for ‘gender neutral toilets’ so Mersey Care took it to mean any toilet not fitted with a urinal so anyone can use them, but not including disabled or patients’ en-suite facilities. 

‘Many of these 63 toilets on Trust premises have been installed to make cost effective use of space in our hospitals.

‘The majority of these toilets have been installed in recently built, state of the art hospitals like Rowan View, our medium secure hospital at Maghull Health Park, and Hartley Hospital, our mental health inpatient unit based in Southport. 

‘It is impossible to calculate the cost of toilets alone, so we have done so on a cost per square metre which is why the overall figure looks disproportionately high.

‘Mersey Care remains committed to the highest standards of healthcare and our highest priority is ensuring patients, service users, carers and staff are provided with a safe environment to live and work, one which preserves the individual’s dignity and wellbeing and enhances their chances of recovery.’

Solent NHS Trust

Gender neutral toilets: 29

Total cost: £228,341

A spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘It is wrong to suggest we are not adhering to government guidance, as we have gender-specific toilets across all of our sites and inpatient services, with additional gender-neutral facilities underpinning our commitment to improving accessibility within our buildings and being as inclusive as possible.’

Velindre University NHS Trust 

Gender neutral toilets: 23

Total cost: £0

A spokesperson said: ‘The Trust has improved patient and visitor access to toilets by changing 23 of its existing single-occupant toilet rooms that were previously assigned “male” or “female” into toilet rooms that can be used by any gender. 

‘There were no costs involved in converting the existing toilets as the conversions only required a change in signage. 

‘We have not received a single complaint about the changes.’

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Gender neutral toilets: 13

Total cost: Not provided

A spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘Separate female and male toilets are in place throughout the hospital site, including all clinical areas.

‘As an inclusive organisation that respects equality, inclusion and diversity, the Trust changed signage for a small number of individual toilet cubicles in to gender neutral toilets in 2019.’

Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust 

Gender neutral toilets: 13

Total cost: Not provided

A spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘We provide gender-specific toilets in the hospital’s main entrance, Urgent and Emergency Care Centre and various other locations around the site. 

‘Therefore we consider we are entirely compliant with national guidance.

‘In the last financial year, we installed an accessible toilet as part of the refurbishment of our Outpatient department. 

‘As with the majority of accessible toilets, it is gender neutral and all our accessible toilets are single occupancy.’

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 

Gender neutral toilets: 2

Total cost: £72

A spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘There has been no change to the number of gender-specific public and patient toilets. 

‘We recently opened a gender-neutral changing room for staff, which has two toilets.’

NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Gender neutral toilets: 15

Total cost: Not provided

A spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘The limited number of gender neutral toilets introduced by NHS Ayrshire & Arran comprise an important resource and are supplemented by many more gender specific toilets which number in the hundreds across the Boards estate, ensuring that we meet government guidance.’ 

Trusts yet to respond to MailOnline:

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

Gender neutral toilets: 25

Total cost: Not provided

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Gender neutral toilets: 13

Total cost: Not provided

Liverpool Women’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Gender neutral toilets: 13

Total cost: ‘Less than £1,000’

South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust

Gender neutral toilets: Three

Total cost: £100 

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust

Gender neutral toilets: Two

Total cost: £0

Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust 

Gender neutral toilets: One

Total cost: Not provided

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust

Gender neutral toilets: One

Total cost: Not provided