Mixed sex wards have become a "huge problem" at Whipps Cross Hospital, says Waltham Forest's senior geriatric doctor.

Women are regularly being placed in the same wards as men despite Government guidelines calling on the practice to be phased out.

Massive demands on bed space and the need to meet waiting times have meant that Whipps Cross is unlikely to met government targets on reducing mixed sex ward occupancy.

Many patients are uncomfortable with the lack of privacy and feel embarrassed by sharing the same facilities. Incidents have included men exposing themselves in the presence of women.

Dr Geraldine McElligott, who is clinical director of the department of medicine for elderly people, said: "Mixed sex wards are a huge problem for us.

"I hope that we will improve in getting the beds right and putting the right sexes on the right wards. But in winter when you are about to reach 12 hours waiting in accident and emergency, they have to have the first available bed.

"After a while we may be able to move them to a single sex ward. But once they are there they often do not want to be moved. We always give them the choice if they are in the wrong sex ward."

One of the leading geriatricians in the country, Dr McElligott told the Whipps Cross University Trust board meeting on Friday: "I hope the extra acute admission beds which we have received will allow us to get this right."

Director of the trust, Ros Levenson, said: "I do think it is unacceptable that the health community has become a bit blind to the fact that most people find it unacceptable.

"The fact that most people put up with it should not obscure the fact that most people don't like it and would rather not have it."

She said that single sex occupancy of wards should be taken into account in the building of the new hospital.

Ms Levenson, added: "I am very concerned about this issue and the rights of the individual. The patient themselves may well feel settled, but those of opposite gender might want them moved.

"I remember when it was unthinkable and it should be unthinkable again."

A trust spokesman said: "There are no dedicated mixed sex wards but sometimes we are busy and we do unfortunately have to operate mixed sex wards.

"Obviously we are trying to get to the stage where we have only single sex wards, but we are not there at the moment."