Hospital pests out of control

8:05am Thursday 7th August 2008

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Vermin and insects at Barnet and Chase Farm hospitals have prompted pest controllers to be called in more than 200 times in two years.

Rats, mice and cockroaches were among the blights reported at the two hospitals, along with ants, wasps, hornets and other unspecified insects.

Figures released by the Conservative Party yesterday showed pest controllers visited the hospitals 207 times between January 2006 and April 2008.

The hospitals, managed by Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust, featured on a list of England’s NHS trusts which called in pest controllers at least 50 times during that period.

However, it was not the worst offender on the list, which included 70 per cent of trusts in the country. Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust called out the hit squad 1,070 times.

The Barnet and Chase Farm trust, which runs hospitals in Wellhouse Lane, Barnet, and The Ridgeway, Enfield, stressed that a pest controller visit did not necessarily indicate an infestation.

A spokeswoman said: “Cleanliness of our hospitals and patient safety are key priorities for this trust. We have a rigorous and proactive pest control regime in place to handle any possible vermin or pest infestation.”

Teams from pest control company Rentokil survey both hospital sites on a weekly basis to assess risk and take preventative action, according to the trust.

There are also six-monthly checks, adhoc night inspections and an immediate call-out system.

“If there is a need for remedial action, Rentokil is called to the sites straight away,” the spokeswoman added.

The trust’s chief executive, Averil Dongworth, said: “We take a report or sighting of vermin or pests very seriously and will take all steps to eradicate them. It is a credit to our estate team and contractors that we are able to deal with pest control in a speedy and efficient manner given we cover two major hospitals with multiple buildings.”

Barnet councillor and London Assembly member Brian Coleman said: “These findings are truly shocking. This report reveals very bad cleanliness problems.

“The findings make a mockery of the recent and much vaunted hospital deep cleans. People go into hospital to get well, not to be confronted by vermin infestation. The Department for Health must act decisively and act now to remedy this appalling situation.”

Alex Nunes, ex-chairman of the disbanded Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) forum, admitted he was aware of past incidents but he believes the lack of Government funding is to blame.

He said: “We have known of the problems. One year we had a dead pigeon in the ceiling above one of the operating theatres at Barnet General. Things do occur unfortunately and it is bad for patients, and it would be much nicer if it could be prevented, but until there is adequate funding to ensure that, it will happen.

“It is not the trust’s fault. The NHS is perpetually underfunding. When the trust gets adequate funding, I do not doubt that 90 per cent of these problems will disappear. ”

Barnet Councillor Helena Hart, cabinet member for public health, also played down the report’s findings. She said: “The trust has assured me there are no infestations causing a risk to patient care and health. It also maintains that the sites are routinely inspected by pest controllers to maintain standards.”

In the two-year period, 20,000 pest infestations or suspected infestations were reported across the country.

Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: “It is difficult for health service estates to maintain a completely pest free environment but the level and variety of these infestations is concerning.

“We need greater transparency in NHS infection control, and publishing data like this is one way in which we can drive up overall hygiene standards.”