Welsh Assembly passes bill increasing access to toilets

Part 7 of the Public Health (Wales) Bill creates a duty on all 22 local authorities in Wales to create their own local toilets strategy. By working with local partners and those affected by continence issues, the toilet strategy will have to assess the need for toilets locally and will set out the steps the local authority propose to take to increase access to toilets in their area.

They will also have to work with other local authorities to ensure that they consider access to toilets along key transport routes and within cultural venues and events.

The Public Health (Wales) Bill is a significant piece of legislation as it is the first time any institution in the UK has treated access to toilets as a Public Health concern. For someone with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), a lack of toilets and not having the confidence of finding one quickly can have a devastating impact on their ability to engage in regular activities away from home such as going to work, school, holidaying, shopping or socialising.

To ensure that the Act now gets properly applied, Crohn’s & Colitis UK will not only be working with the Government on the guidance issued to local authorities but we will be monitoring its implementing closely in the 22 Councils across Wales.