The Guardian reports that thousands of pests including rats, cockroaches and bedbugs have been found at NHS hospitals in England. Hospital bosses are having to spend millions of pounds on pest control after discovering lice, flies and rodents in children’s wards, breast clinics, maternity units, A&E departments and kitchens, in the most graphic illustration yet of the dismal and dangerous state of the NHS estate.
NHS bosses have repeatedly warned ministers of the urgent need to plough cash into fixing rundown buildings in order to protect the safety and dignity of patients and staff. The maintenance backlog now stands at £11.6bn in England.
Full story in The Guardian, 9 April 2024