Changing Places to provide accessible facilities

With Round 2 of the Changing Places Fund recently opening to expressions of interest, Government Business looks at the programme and what has already been achieved

Thousands of people in the UK are unable to go out to meet friends, or go to the shop or a restaurant due to a lack of adequate facilities. People living with learning disabilities, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and other conditions often do not have access to suitable toilet and changing facilities.
    
In 2020, the government made it compulsory to include a Changing Places toilet in certain new, publicly accessible buildings. The Changing Places Fund was launched in summer 2021 to help local authorities increase the number of Changing Places toilets. Round 1 of the Changing Places Fund allocated £23.5 million to 191 local authorities across England, to fund 500 Changing Places toilet facilities. Round 2 of the fund has recently opened.

Who are they for?
Changing Places toilets were created to meet the needs of those with disabilities and complex care needs. They were created for those who need carer support, appropriate equipment and more space.
    
Changing Places offer more than standard accessible toilets, providing more space and necessary equipment. Standard disabled toilets are designed to meet the needs of disabled people who can use a toilet independently and cannot accommodate large wheelchairs and carers. It is estimated that more than 250,000 people need these facilities to be able to get out and about. Changing Places toilets are larger than standard accessible toilets and provide equipment such as hoists, privacy screens, adult-sized changing benches and peninsular toilets, as well as space for carers.
    
Changing Places facilities are intended for people with complex disabilities who require hoisting from their wheelchair onto the toilet and providing support once on the toilet and those who are incontinent and who require hoisting from their wheelchair onto a height adjustable adult sized changing bench to have their continence pads changed. They are also designed for those who are not wheelchair users but whose other complex needs are not met in current public toilet provision including disabled children and adults who have balance or health/size issues, or severe autism or challenging behaviours. They are also designed to enable family or professional carers to use the toilet with dignity whilst keeping the wheelchair user safe.

Specifications
To qualify as a Changing Places toilet, facilities must meet certain specifications and be registered by the Changing Places Consortium. The specifications include a height-adjustable adult-sized changing bench, a ceiling hoist to cover the whole room, should someone fall and a peninsular toilet which allows a person to be supported from both sides whilst on the toilet. The facilities must also be 12 sqm to meet the needs of the widest range of users and especially for turning in a wheelchair.
    
There are currently around 1,300 registered Changing Places toilets in England, but there is still not enough to meet demand.
    
The facilities are to be installed in publicly accessible places such as art galleries, cinemas, concert halls, shopping centres, recreation and entertainment buildings, libraries, museums, visitor centres, beaches, parks and gardens.
    
Eddie Hughes MP, then Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing said: “We want to deliver as many new facilities as possible with the Changing Places Fund. But we recognise that government investment alone can only do so much.
    
“We also need to continue work with charities and grass-roots organisations – many who have long-campaigned for change – utilising their expertise and knowledge to build a more equal society after COVID.” The programme will be delivered with the charity partner Muscular Dystrophy UK. The charity supports people who are affected by more than 60 rare and very rare progressive muscle-weakening and wasting conditions, affecting around 110,000 children and adults in the UK.
    
Catherine Woodhead, CEO of Muscular Dystrophy UK said: “We have warmly welcomed the government’s investment of £30 million for the installation of Changing Places toilets in existing buildings in England and support the commitment to this second phase allocation of funding. We are delighted to continue working with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to jointly guide the distribution of this funding and to provide information and advice to local authorities as they plan and manage installations in their area.

“We urge all local authorities to engage with this scheme, particularly if you missed the first round, or are in an area with a low number of Changing Places toilets. We hope you will make your community as open and inclusive to disabled people as possible. Please be part of this transformation, for your local community, and for travel to and tourism in your local area.”

Success stories
One user of Changing Places toilets said: “Access to Changing Places toilets means I can travel, can work, see my friends, go to conferences, have a meal without needing to be in an embarrassing situation.”
    
Another said: “It means not having the constant worry of whether I would actually be able to have adequate space to transfer safely. It would mean that I am able to go out more, instead of having to limit my fluid intake.”
    
Changing Places toilets have already been installed in the Trafford Centre in Manchester – one of the largest shopping centres in the UK with 600,000 visitors a week. The Changing Places toilet installed there has an adult-sized height adjustable changing bench, ceiling track hoist, space for the disabled person and two carers, a toilet, movable sink and emergency alarm.
    
There is also a Changing Places toilet in the Deep in Hull, one of the UK’s largest aquariums. The facilities include a Nirvano (CTE) Changing Table, overhead hoist, ABW6 height adjustable wash basin, centrally located toilet and portable privacy screen. In keeping with the location, it also has a marine theme.

Advice for local authorities
Local authorities will be able to access advice and information from Changing Places Support Officers who will be able to offer guidance on choosing the location, to designing and planning the installation through to registration as a Changing Places toilet.
    
€A Changing Places manual will also be available to local authorities which includes information on the legislative and regulatory background around Changing Places toilets; the planning and design of a Changing Places toilet; the equipment and environment required in and around a Changing Places toilet; and the management and maintenance required of a Changing Places toilet.
    
As well as this, there are also virtual training sessions to accompany the Changing Places manual, which will explain the full process and key points to consider around the installation and registration of a Changing Places toilet in an existing building and their safe maintenance and upkeep.
    
The funding will be allocated to eligible local authorities with priority given to areas that don’t already have Changing Places facilities. Eligible local authorities should submit an expression of interest by 30 September.