Raw sewage and rat infestations rampant across NHS buildings, staff claim
Almost one in three said conditions had worsened over the past year
Rat and cockroach infestations and leaking sewage are widespread across NHS hospitals, clinics and ambulance stations, new research has revealed.
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A survey of more than 19,000 NHS staff showed that leaking sewage, rats and insect infestations were rampant in many NHS buildings, while staff and patients were often left without access to clean toilets.
About one in seven respondents said they have been aware of vermin inside their workplaces within the past year and a similar number reported other infestations such as silverfish, ants, bedbugs and cockroaches.
Almost one in three said conditions in their place of work had worsened over the past year.
Unison, which carried out the survey, said the findings revealed a concerning snapshot of a “dangerous and dilapidated” NHS estate.
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About one in seven of those polled said they believe their place of work is unsafe because of the physical state of buildings.
The findings, being released at the union’s annual conference in Brighton on Tuesday, include examples of buckets on floors to catch leaking water, sewage leaks, public toilets in hospitals out of order for extended periods and staff toilets described as unusable.
One in 20 health service workers surveyed reported asbestos had been discovered in their workplace.
Unison’s head of health, Helga Pile, said: “No patient should be cared for in filthy, insanitary and unsafe conditions.
“Staff shouldn’t have to work in such shocking surroundings either.
“This survey demonstrates how lack of funding has left the NHS estate in a dreadful mess. Hospitals should make people better, not expose them to harm from rotting rats, raw sewage and dilapidated buildings.
“Recent cuts to staffing and maintenance budgets are adding to the long-term effects of underfunding.
“To use scarce resources patching up ceilings and doing other short-term fixes to protect patients isn’t good enough.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “These findings are disgraceful and a reminder that this Government inherited a broken NHS, with the hospital estate left to crumble – putting patients and staff at risk inside ageing facilities
.“That’s why we’re investing £30 billion over five years for maintenance and repairs, with over £5 billion specifically for the most critical cases, and tackling the backlog across the NHS estate.
“We will provide the investment and reform needed to get patients the care they deserve, in safe hospital buildings fit for purpose, and give staff facilities which match their abilities.”