Importance Score: 75 / 100 🔴
NHS Hospital Cleanliness Data Reveals Disparities Across England
New data has brought to light significant variations in cleanliness standards across NHS hospitals in England, according to a recent assessment. The findings reveal a noticeable divide between NHS trusts, with the lowest-ranked scoring almost 10 percentage points below the highest performers. While not directly indicative of care quality, health analysts suggest these figures signal areas requiring closer scrutiny and potential improvement in hospital hygiene protocols.
NHS Trusts Ranking Lowest in Cleanliness Assessments
The NHS England data identifies Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust as ranking lowest nationally in terms of cleanliness. Following closely were Whittington Health NHS Trust in North London and Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, indicating areas that may benefit from focused attention to environmental hygiene.
Unison Survey Exposes Deteriorating Hospital Conditions and Pest Infestations
These findings coincide with a recent concerning report highlighting widespread issues of disrepair and hygiene within NHS hospitals and buildings. A staff survey conducted by the union Unison, encompassing nearly 9,000 health workers, depicted workplaces plagued by vermin infestations and structural deficiencies. The survey revealed alarming accounts of rat and cockroach infestations, along with silverfish and other pests, impacting the working environment.
Vermin and Infestations: A Breakdown of the Issues
- Vermin Sightings: Approximately 16 percent of staff surveyed reported witnessing vermin, such as rats, within their hospital buildings in the preceding year.
- Other Infestations: A similar proportion (16 percent) reported infestations of silverfish, ants, and cockroaches.
- Structural Problems: Staff also reported issues including crumbling ceilings, malfunctioning lighting, and broken lifts and toilets.
These conditions raise serious concerns about the safety and well-being of both staff and patients within these healthcare settings.
Health Risks Associated with Pests
The presence of pests poses significant health risks. Silverfish thrive in damp environments, while cockroaches are known carriers of diseases including gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, typhoid, and salmonella. Rats can transmit leptospirosis through their urine, a disease capable of causing severe liver damage in humans. Unison suggests that damp conditions and unresolved maintenance issues may be contributing to pest proliferation within NHS facilities.
Details of the Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) Report
The NHS England cleanliness rankings are drawn from the 2024 Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) report, published in February. This report compiles findings from assessments conducted by teams comprising NHS staff and patient assessors. In total, 1,107 assessments were carried out across various NHS settings in England, revealing a national average cleanliness score of 98.3 percent.
Whittington Health NHS Trust ranked second lowest among all NHS trusts in the NHS England PLACE report published in February. Pictured, Whittington Hospital
While all NHS trusts assessed scored above 90 percent for cleanliness, notable disparities existed among the over 190 trusts evaluated.
Hospitals with Lower Cleanliness Scores
According to the PLACE report data, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust received a cleanliness score of 92.5 percent. The Whittington Health NHS Trust, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust followed with scores of 93, 93.1, and 93.5 percent respectively. East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust and East London NHS Foundation Trust recorded slightly higher scores of 94 and 94.2 percent.
Requests for comment have been submitted to all six NHS trusts mentioned.
Hospitals Achieving Top Cleanliness Ratings
In contrast, several NHS trusts demonstrated exceptional cleanliness standards. Seven trusts, including Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, and Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust, achieved perfect scores of 100 percent. South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust and Gloucestershire Health and Care Foundation Trust followed closely with scores of 99.9 percent each.
Whittington Health NHS Trust was followed by Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust at 93.1 per cent. Pictured, Arrowe Park Hospital, which is a Wirral University Teaching Hospital
Broader Building Safety Concerns Raised in Staff Survey
The recent Unison survey also revealed that 17 percent of staff expressed concerns about the overall safety of their hospital buildings. Over half (52 percent) reported witnessing buckets used to collect water leaks within their workplaces during the past year, while nearly a quarter (23 percent) reported sewage leaks.
Experiences Shared by NHS Staff on Hospital Cleanliness Issues
Staff accounts further illustrated the concerning conditions. One employee in North West England described rodent bait boxes placed throughout his hospital, coupled with a persistent foul odour from a leaking waste pipe. Despite these measures, rats reportedly continued to infiltrate a room used for storing sterile instruments and supplies. Another staff member responsible for cleaning and handling medical equipment in East England reported observing mouse droppings in reception areas, staff break rooms, and sterile instrument storage, highlighting a widespread issue.
Call for Urgent Action: Unison’s Response to Hospital Cleanliness Crisis
Helga Pile, head of health at Unison, characterized the survey results as painting a “worrying picture of an NHS system that’s falling apart.” She emphasized that NHS buildings should not subject staff and patients to conditions such as “dodging rats, stepping over sewage or watching out for falling ceiling tiles.” Pile stressed that “disease-carrying pests can put people’s health at risk” and criticized previous government claims regarding hospital construction and resource allocation. She called for immediate financial investment to address the most pressing issues and for expedited long-term investment plans and protected maintenance budgets. Pile warned that neglecting these issues risks further operational disruptions, leading to cancelled operations, ward closures, and increased patient waiting times.
Recurring Issues: Examples of Past Hospital Hygiene Concerns
Prior incidents have also highlighted persistent hygiene challenges within NHS facilities. In January, reports emerged of mice present on a ward at Walsall Manor Hospital. Furthermore, images from the previous year revealed a rat infestation within a kitchen serving a substantial 1,500 patients daily at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, indicating the ongoing nature of these problems.