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Crumbling NHS buildings plagued by rats and other pests, health worker survey warns
A general view of staff on a NHS hospital ward

MORE funds are needed to mend “unsafe” NHS buildings, a health union has demanded after a damning study found many are infested with pests including rats, cockroaches and silverfish.

A Unison poll of nearly 9,000 health workers painted a worrying picture of the crumbling NHS estate, which currently has a £13.8 billion maintenance backlog.

About one in six (16 per cent) of hospital staff said they’d seen vermin inside their buildings in the past 12 months. 

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. 

“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.”

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