Rats, mice and ants in our hospitals

Hospitals in the West Midlands are being plagued by rodents and insects, it was revealed today.

NHS health trusts have reported more than a thousand incidents of pest infestation on wards in the last two years. The Royal Wolverhampton, Dudley Group, Sandwell and West Birmingham and Mid Staffordshire General are just some of the trusts which have suffered from outbreaks of rats, mice, cockroaches and ants.

Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust called in pest controllers 18 times between January 2006 and April 2008 to also deal with infestations of wasps, flies, squirrels and pigeons – including repeated infestations of ants in the eye clinic.

The alarm was raised at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS trust on 162 occasions to eradicate invasions by vermin, fleas, squirrels, red spider mites and silverfish.

The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust said its hospitals have monthly pest control inspections.

It called in pest controllers 53 times to deal with a series of outbreaks including "unspecified rodents", while Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust recorded 85 incidents.

The details were obtained and released by the Tories.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust reported 250 incidents, including wasps in the neo-natal unit, flying ants on the main wards and mosquitoes in the endoscopy department.

Examples from around the country included one horrified patient waking-up to find maggots in her slippers.

Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "Labour have said over and over again that they will improve cleanliness in our hospitals but these figures clearly show that they are failing."