Hospitals will be fined if they continue to treat patients in mixed-sex wards.

The threat from Health Secretary Alan Johnson forms part of a tough package of measures aimed at eliminating mixed-sex accommodation in the NHS.

Mr Johnson said these wards did not fit in with the NHS’s focus on “quality, dignity and respect”.

In May last year, the Healthcare Commission found 30 per cent of patients at Oxford’s John Radcliffe and Churchill hospitals and The Horton in Banbury spent their stay with patients of the opposite sex.

But the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the hospitals, said it was impossible to say how many mixed-sex wards it currently operated because the number constantly changed, according to demand.

But spokesman Helen Peggs said the trust was hoping not to incur fines in the future, although the Department of Health had not yet made it clear to the trust how any punitive measures would be implemented.

She said: “In most cases, the trust is able to accommodate people within single rooms, single-sex wards or single-sex bays.

“On occasion, however, when a patient has come in as an emergency they may be cared for in a mixed-sex area, but we make a great effort to preserve privacy and dignity.

“If we urgently need to admit a patient and the only bed available is in a mixed-sex area, we will explain the situation to all those affected and move the patient to single-sex accommodation as soon as possible.

“We have set standards for patient privacy and dignity, which we audit regularly, but we are always seeking to improve the hospital environment and experience of patients.

“Our approach involves a robust programme of work which includes ward refurbishment to provide additional single-sex facilities.

“In Oxford, the new children’s hospital, cancer centre and West Wing at the John Radcliffe Hospital have a large number of single rooms and single-sex bays.

“In addition, the new geratology unit at the John Radcliffe has all single en suite rooms for older patients, while the heart centre, due to open later this year, will also provide a high level of single rooms.”

The instructions exempt intensive care, accident and emergency and some medical assessment units.

Mr Johnson said: “From 2010/11 hospitals that fail in their duty to protect patients’ privacy by allowing mixed-sex accommodation where it is not clinically necessary will be financially penalised.

“We will not pay for care that has taken place in mixed-sex accommodation unless it can be clinically justified.

“It is not unreasonable in the 21st century for patients to expect to be treated in single-sex accommodations and not to have to share bathrooms and toilets with the opposite sex.”

l What do you think about Alan Johnson’s new instructions? Have your say at www.oxfordmail.co.uk tshepherd@oxfordmail.co.uk