A guide to accessible washroom design in healthcare washrooms
Despite there being around 16 million people in the UK currently living with a disability, there are still lots of healthcare settings that don’t offer adequate accessible washroom facilities.
As a result, these establishments are being encouraged to improve provisions for those living with disabilities and provide accessible washroom facilities that are designed to better accommodate the needs of their patients.
This is particularly important given that those with disabilities, those who have suffered injury or those recovering from surgery are more likely to require care. They are also more likely to need extra support during their time in hospitals, doctors surgeries and healthcare settings.
If your healthcare toilets and washroom facilities are not up to scratch or they no longer meet the needs of your patients, it’s time to make a change.
When it comes to the design of accessible healthcare facilities, there are lots of important design elements you must consider, which is exactly why we’ve created this guide.
Below, we’ll take a look at the requirements of accessible washrooms, and we’ll also look at how you can improve your design and why it’s so crucial to get this right.
The importance of accessible healthcare washrooms
When you have temporary or permanent mobility challenges or disabilities, navigating the traditional bathroom setting can be a daunting prospect. You might be worried about simply getting in and out of a traditional toilet cubicle for one thing. Then there are other key issues like being able to reach the facilities, slippery floors and the ability to lock and unlock the door so you feel safe.
Keeping that in mind, it’s important to have accessible healthcare washrooms to prevent accidents and injuries by having an adapted space that caters to those with disabilities. This ensures the safety of all users.
These spaces are also important to ensure their dignity, allowing patients to feel and be independent as much as possible and offering them the privacy and respect they deserve. This also helps to improve the quality of life by enabling users to maintain personal hygiene and stay comfortable without having to rely on doctors or nurses to do this for them.
All of this contributes towards the best possible experience whilst in hospital, as this can be a stressful and uncomfortable time as it is, without worrying about using the bathroom.
Accessible washroom design and measurements
There are no legal regulations as to how big accessible healthcare washrooms must be, however, disabled toilet size regulations have been set out in Document M (Doc M) of the UK building regulations.
According to this document, in order to meet building regulations a disabled toilet requires:
A raised height toilet with extra projection for wheelchair transfers
A sink with lever taps to assist users with limited dexterity
Five supporting grab rails (of contrasting colours for those who are visually impaired)
A door that opens outward and is wide enough to accommodate wheelchair users
An emergency assistance alarm system
Toilet flush to be of a paddle type design for ease of use.
We’ll admit, this document isn't the most thrilling read, so we have pulled together some of the most important figures for your healthcare washroom design.
The minimum compulsory dimensions for a disabled toilet are at least 2200mm in length and 1500mm in width. However, it is recommended that the rooms be bigger than this for wheelchair users as this allows them to turn and manoeuvre more easily from inside.
Ideally, an accessible healthcare washroom should measure at least 2700mm deep by 2500mm wide.
The height of a disabled toilet can vary, though the average and most common height is 450mm.
However, it could range from 390mm up to 500mm. This will often depend on the disabled user’s needs and can be tailored in different settings. Some other design considerations are:
The door to an accessible bathroom should be at least 900mm wide and should open outwards so as not to reduce the space within
The sink should be fit at a height of 720 to 740mm and should be positioned close to the toilet, within 140 to 160mm
The toilet roll dispenser should be accessible from the toilet seat at around a height of 700mm from the floor level and within 300mm of the seat
The approximate height for a hand dryer is 940mm, though this will depend on the style of dryer but the manufacturer will be able to advise
A red panic cord should be installed and must hang down with a maximum space of 100mm between the floor and the cord.
Products and ideas to enhance your accessible washroom design
There are some special features that you can introduce to enhance your washroom design and make these spaces even more functional and user-friendly.
Hoists
As well as hand rails, you might also wish to add hoists to your healthcare washrooms, depending on the nature of your patients and their ailments, that is. Ceiling-mounted hoists can be added to the design for those suffering with more severe disabilities.
Smart toilets and automatic devices
Nowadays, toilets are becoming even smarter, offering options like automatic flush and even heated or self cleaning seats. In particular, automatic or sensor flush can be helpful for those with limited mobility.
On a similar note, automated hand dryers and soap dispensers can be helpful to those with disabilities, providing they are installed at the correct height.
Shelves and hooks
Placing a small shelf between the sink and toilet can help those with items like colostomy bags. Alternatively, hooks on the walls offer them a handy way to store items like bags and clothing while using the facilities. Again, these should be hung at the correct height.
Choose contrasting colours
Choosing solid, bold colours as part of your design can be beneficial for people who are visually impaired. For example, having a black toilet seat against a white toilet.
Automatic lighting
Finally, automatic lighting means that the light comes on when movement is detected, saving the user from having to find and reach the light switch. This is also far more energy efficient as the lights cannot be accidentally left on when not in use.