Large accessible toilets for severely disabled people – known as Changing Places – will be made compulsory for new buildings in England from 2021. Shopping centres, supermarkets, sports and arts venues will be required to include at least one Changing Place. This decision has been hailed as “nothing short of life changing” by accessibility campaigners.
Standard accessible toilets do not meet the needs of all disabled people. People with severe learning disabilities, as well as people with physical conditions such as spinal injuries, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis often need extra equipment and space to allow them to use a toilet safely and comfortably.
Many disabled people have spoken about restricting their fluid intake to avoid needing the toilet when they were out, risking dehydration and urinary tract infections. Other issues include sitting in soiled clothing or dirty nappies until they find a suitable toilet or returned home, and carers having to change a disabled person on a dirty toilet floor.
Changing Places toilets provide people with the facilities they need to go to the toilet with dignity.
Additional equipment a Changing Places toilet must include: a full-sized changing bench, a hoist (ideally ceiling or wall mounted), a curtain/screen to provide privacy for the user and carer, non-slip flooring, a wide paper towel dispenser, a large bin for disposable pads, grab rails and an emergency alarm.
This scheme is estimated to add 150 fully accessible toilets to new buildings each year. Shopping centre, supermarkets, cinema, sports and arts venues are just some of the buildings that will be required to include at least one Changing Places toilet. A £30 million fund to help install Changing Places toilets in existing buildings will open in the next few months.
For more information on this scheme and for advice on your level-access bathroom, please contact Home Solutions, where one of our trained advisers will be happy to answer your queries. We can also tell you about Disabled Facilities Grants and other financial support you may be entitled to.
Home Solutions has more than 15 years’ experience of adapting bathrooms for people with mobility issues. Our bathroom fitters are all professionally trained and accredited, and our work is backed by the Government approved scheme TrustMark.
Our showroom on Mill Road, Barnstaple, is now open for appointments. To view an extensive range of showering and bathroom options, please give us a call on 01271 374600. Please also visit our website (homesolutions-sw.co.uk) and our Facebook page Home Solutions’ to stay up-to-date with our products and offers.