Two London NHS hospital trusts are amongst the worst in England for pest outbreaks, it has been revealed.
Guys’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust was fifth in a list of the most times pest controllers were called out between 2006 and April 2008, with 813.
Barts and the London NHS Trust came sixth with 801 incidents, while Nottingham Hospitals NHS Trust topped the poll after recording 1,070 incidents.
The details – released under the Freedom of Information Act – were obtained by the Conservatives, who contacted all 171 NHS trusts in England. Of the 127 which responded, almost all were said to have experienced some problems.
Almost 20,000 incidents of pest infestation have broken out at hospitals over the past two years, it was revealed. Outbreaks have included rats in maternity wards, wasps and fleas in neo-natal units and maggots in patients’ slippers.
But the Government dismissed suggestions that the… Read the full story