Changing places for invisible disability with Closomat

Up to 6million people in the UK are affected by continence issues, according to latest figures from the NHS – Closomat have stressed the importance of the Changing Places toilet.

For many, conventional ‘away from home’ toilets are still not suitable – they need more space, and/or equipment; this is where a Changing Places toilet proves ideal.

Closomat are the UK’s leading provider of Changing Places toilets. Alison Bann, a nurse specialising in continence, who is now sales manager for the company, spoke at the annual Loo of the Year Awards.

“Inability to access a suitable toilet has a huge impact on a person’s physical and mental health,” she said.

“At very least, someone who has a continence issue will need to clean themselves. In severe cases, where they need pads or nappies, that will need to be changed.

“How do you do any of those in a conventional toilet? You need at least more space. You potentially need a suitable surface on which to lie (or be laid) whilst changing a pad or nappy.

“If you cant find that, you face the embarrassment of being dirty until you can find somewhere suitable.

“That impacts on you, the people with you and around you, physically and mentally. Yet it can be avoided so easily, just by changing how we specify and design toilets away from home.”

Under current Building Regulations and British Standards, a Changing Places should be provided in any facility to which numbers of the public have access, and/or spend a length of time.

It should be in addition to any wheelchair-accessible toilets, and, as a minimum, be 12 square metres in size, with a ceiling track hoist, peninsular toilet and adult-sized height adjustable changing bed.

The Toilets – Provision & Accessibility Bill currently going through Parliament will, if enacted, upgrade that to a compulsory requirement.

Contact:

Closomat
Building 1, Brooklands Place,
Brooklands Road,
Sale,
Cheshire,
M33 6SD,
United Kingdom

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