The Hidden Health Issue No One Talks About: Why Coventry Men Need Better Toilet Facilities

Need The Loo
1 day ago
2 min read

On 23rd May, members of the Need The Loo campaign team, supported by Community Organiser Melissa, set up a stall at Earlsdon Park Village to hear directly from male residents about toilet provision in the city.

The goal was twofold:

To raise awareness of hidden urinary health issues affecting many men.
To gather insights that could help persuade Coventry's public toilet providers to improve men’s toilet facilities.

Three women sit at a table with leaflets, surveys and signs saying "Need the Loo?"

Despite research estimating that 1 in 3 men over 65 in the UK experience urinary or bowel incontinence, public toilets rarely cater to their needs in the same way they do for women. For these men, the safe and hygienic disposal of incontinence products is important. Men who need to dispose of their sanitary waste (including incontinence pads, pouches, stoma, catheter, colostomy, ileostomy waste by-products) often have no direct access to a sanitary bin in male toilets. Basic dignity can be compromised without access to appropriate waste disposal facilities.

“Benign enlarged prostate means that I often need to find a toilet urgently. A very similar situation to pregnant women's needs.” Coventry resident

Meanwhile, Warwickshire District Council has recently committed to placing sanitary bins in all male public toilets they manage, allowing men to dispose of incontinence products discreetly and hygienically. We hope Coventry will follow suit. By collecting feedback directly from residents, we aim to strengthen the case for change.

Find out more by clicking here

Tablet displaying a public toilet survey is in focus. The blurred background shows people in the foyer at Earlsdon Park Village

What We Have Heard So Far about Men's Toilets

We’re grateful to everyone who took the time to speak with us.

58% said the addition of sanitary bins would improve their experience.
Several also mentioned the need for more baby changing facilities in men's toilets, so that fathers of toddlers aren’t excluded or inconvenienced.
Others shared that they found European public toilets to be better maintained, even when a small fee was charged.

“I’ve used the public toilets in Coventry, but when I needed to dispose of my catheter, there were no suitable facilities.” Coventry resident

Have YOUR say

If you would like to contribute by sharing your experiences and thoughts, please click this link

Further updates from the Need The Loo Campaign

Another important part of our campaign is improving signage to existing public toilets in Coventry. In previous listening campaigns and discussions, many residents told us they often don’t know where public toilets are or whether they’re allowed to use facilities in local shops and cafes without making a purchase.

Better signage could help people feel more confident about spending longer in the city centre. This benefits not only individuals (especially those with health conditions or young children) but also boosts footfall for local businesses.

We’re pleased to report that progress on signage improvements is underway with the team at Coventry City Council, and we’re hopeful that approval will soon be granted.