Southeastern has upgraded toilets across all its stations to help people manage a condition surrounded by stigma.

The train operating company says the changes will now allow people living with stoma bags to avoid hassle or embarrassment.

A stoma bag is used to collect a person’s waste after they’ve undergone a colostomy operation to divert one end of the colon through an opening in the stomach.

The bag needs to be changed between one and three times a day.

Over 200,000 people in the UK are living with a stoma, this includes DJ Adele Roberts.

She began using a stoma bag in 2021 after surgery for bowel cancer.

To help with the changing process Southeastern’s toilets are now being fitted with hooks on doors so people can have more space to hang clothing, handbags and luggage while changing their bags.

Improvements to stalls will also see increased shelf space also being implemented so items can be spread more easily without people having to use unsanitary surfaces.

Meanwhile, disposal bins have been added to cubicles, so men and women can avoid the potential embarrassment of having to dispose of their bag in public view.

Mirrors have also been added so users can see their stoma while changing their appliances, alongside “stoma-friendly” toilet signage.

Accessibility and inclusion manager for Southeastern, Laura Holmes, said: “Our members noticed the need for more stoma-friendly facilities.

“We saw this as an opportunity to make our own accessible toilets more inclusive, and have now installed more than 75 stoma shelves in toilets across our network.

"We're able to do this with the help and support of Colostomy UK who provided us with key information about the size and placement of a stoma shelf within a toilet facility.

"We're really pleased with this achievement and we'll continue to make improvements to the facilities we offer at Southeastern, so our network is a place where everyone feels welcome and can travel with confidence.”

Colostomy UK praised the changes made by Southeastern.

However, the charity has now called for all train companies to make accessible toilets stoma-friendly.

Marketing and campaigns manager, Giovanni Cinque, added: “Results from our 2022 Stoma Aware survey revealed 62% of respondents believe a lack of suitable toilet facilities are impacting their day-to-day life.

“This discourages them from many of the activities much of society takes for granted.

“Confidence in the knowledge that suitable facilities exist across the network will, I’m sure, encourage the thousands of people living with a stoma to get on board – whether it be for work or for leisure.

“We hope their vision will soon be replicated by other train companies across the UK.”

The full list of places with improved toilet facilities can be found here.

There are 71 stations in total which have now been made “stoma-friendly”.