Rats and maggots among NHS' 20,000 pest problems

NHS health trusts have reported almost 20,000 incidents of pest infestation in hospitals over the past two years, it emerged today.

Outbreaks have included rats in maternity wards, wasps and fleas in neo-natal units and maggots in patients' slippers, according to reports.

But the Government dismissed suggestions that the problems were linked to the spread of hospital-acquired infections such as MRSA and insisted that the threat to patient safety was "negligible".

The details – released under the Freedom of Information Act – were obtained by the Tories, who contacted all 171 NHS trusts in England.

Of the 127 which responded, almost all were said to have experienced some problems.

There were almost 20,000 reports of pest problems while seven out of ten trusts said that they had called in pest control officers more than 50 times since January 2006.

The figures showed that 80 per cent of NHS trusts reported problems with ants, 66 per cent with rats and 77 per cent with mice.

Cockroaches were said to have been reported at 59 per cent of trusts, fleas or other biting insects at 65 per cent, and bed bugs at 24 per cent.