NHS staff reveal hospitals plagued by rats, cockroaches and sewage leaks

, cockroaches, silverfish and other pests are plaguing hospitals and buildings, according to a large staff survey highlighting shocking and widespread throughout across the . A poll of nearly 9,000 health workers for the Unison union suggests vermin may be thriving in damp conditions and neglected infrastructure.

Staff also reported sewage leaks, broken toilets, defective lighting, and ceilings which were at risk of collapse. Around one in six (16%) of those surveyed said they had seen rats inside their buildings in the past 12 months, while another 16% reported infestations involving cockroaches, silverfish and ants. Silverfish are metallic insects that thrive in damp environments, while cockroaches can such serious diseases as gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, typhoid and salmonella.

Rats can spread illnesses such as leptospirosis, or Weil's disease, through their urine. The focus has been on the rodents in recent days as a result of .

The survey also revealed that 17% of staff do not consider their workplace safe.

More than half (52%) said they had seen buckets placed to catch water from leaks in the past year. Almost a quarter (23%) reported sewage escaping into wards or corridors.

Some 28% said public toilets were left unusable for long periods, while 30% said staff toilets were also broken.

Nearly half (47%) said hospital lifts were out of order, 27% reported defective lighting and 21% warned of ceilings falling apart.

One staff member working in the North-west of England said rodent bait boxes had been placed throughout his hospital to deal with rats, while a leaking waste pipe gave off a foul stench.

However, rats were still getting into a room used to store sterile supplies, he warned.

A worker from Scotland said parts of the ceiling had collapsed, and water buckets catching leaks had become trip hazards. One building was plagued by a beetle infestation, and sewage frequently leaked from broken pipes.

Another worker in the East of England, responsible for cleaning and handling medical equipment, said he had seen mouse droppings on desks, in breakrooms and in the sterile storage room.

Helga Pile, Unison's head of health, said: "This survey paints a worrying picture of an NHS system that's falling apart at the seams and in need of a serious overhaul.

"No-one should be dodging rats, stepping over sewage or watching out for falling ceiling tiles in NHS buildings.

"The last thing patients or staff want is vermin, cockroaches and other unpleasant things roaming the wards. Disease-carrying pests can put people's health at risk.

"Previous governments made wildly exaggerated claims about building new hospitals and raided pots of cash earmarked to improve the NHS estate.

"The NHS should be fit for the 21st century, not a crumbling Dickensian relic.

"Fixing the damage done by years of neglect isn't going to be a five-minute job.

"Money needs to be made available immediately to sort out the worst of the problems.

"Longer-term investment plans must be sped up and maintenance budgets spared the axe.

"If operations are cancelled and wards closed because of pests and sewage leaks, delays and waiting times will only get worse."

Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, said: "Safety of patients and staff is the top priority, but this is being put at risk every day from crumbling buildings, pest infestations and sewage leaks.

"It's alarming that NHS trusts have to spend lots of money on pest control on top of a rocketing, near-£14 billion backlog of essential repairs to buildings and equipment which are in a very bad way.

"Vital parts of the NHS are falling to bits after years of underinvestment nationally.

"Hospitals as well as mental health, community and ambulance services are doing everything they can to improve productivity and deliver more high-quality care, but to do this they need safe, modern, efficient and reliable facilities.

"The condition of the NHS estate is holding them back from doing this as quickly as possible."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "These findings are shocking and just show the appalling condition the NHS estate has been left in following more than a decade of neglect. There is no better illustration of the broken NHS than dilapidated buildings and vermin in our hospitals.

"It will take time, but this Government is rebuilding the NHS through our Plan for Change. We are investing over £1 billion this year in maintenance, repairs, upgrades and tackling dangerous RAAC concrete - as part of the biggest capital budget in real terms since before 2010."