Further evidence of the sorry state of the NHS (Picture: GETTY/PA)
Rats, cockroaches, wasps and lice – these are just some of the pests plaguing NHS hospitals across England.
Official data shows A&E departments, children’s wards, maternity units and staff kitchens have been affected by infestations.
Meanwhile, maggots were discovered in a mortuary and rat droppings in a body bag.
Some insects even bit workers in another sign of the failings of the government in the health service.
Hospitals have faced record bill to repair rundown buildings in attempts to cope with the more than 18,000 incidents in the last three years.
The shocking number included 6,666 in 2023 – equivalent to 18 a day.
Hospitals are struggling to fight the infestations (Picture: PA)
The figures show altogether £3.7 million was spent dealing with the pests – as the maintenance backlog to repair rundown buildings hits £11.6billion.
The figures – obtained from 142 NHS hospital trusts in England using Freedom of Information laws – were found by the Lib Dems.
But only 59 responded, suggesting this is not the full picture and the true extent of the NHS is much worse.
Imperial College NHS trust in London spent most on pest control – £383,597 for 2,157 incidents in three years.
East and North Hertfordshire trust spent £119,199. It reported mice in a kitchen, maggots in a mortuary, rat droppings in a body bag and silverfish in a doctors’ canteen.
In Essex, Princess Alexandra hospital trust spent £273,330 on 77 incidents including ants in a maternity ward, a fly infestation in a ‘clean utility room’, rat droppings in corridors and rodents in the ceiling.
Others reported their ‘whole building has a fly infestation’, animal noises in walls and a dead headless pigeon.
Rachel Power, Patients Association chief, called the findings ‘unacceptable and deeply concerning’.
She added: ‘No-one should have to endure being exposed to insects, rodents or other pests when they are already dealing with illness or injury.’
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said: ‘This is a national scandal. In people’s hour of need, they need to be safe from bugs and rodents.
‘Instead, wards are falling apart at the seams with foul pests allowed to roam freely.
‘This Conservative government has left the NHS in decay with soaring repair bills. This madness has to end.’
The Department of Health said NHS trusts were responsible for maintaining estates but said its ‘significant investment’ included £4.2billion on buildings this year.
‘We have also invested a further £1.7billion for over 70 hospital upgrades,’ a spokesperson added.
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